RESISTANCE OF PARTICLEBOARD PANELS MADE OF AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES AND BONDED WITH SYNTHETIC RESINS OR PVC PLASTIC TO WOOD-ROTTING FUNGI

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the resistance of three types of particleboard panel to biodeterioration, two of which bonded with synthetic resins and one bonded with PVC plastic. Composite panels were made using sugar cane straw particles as raw material which were bonded together with urea-formaldehyde (UF), tannin-formaldehyde (TANI) and PVC plastic (PVC) resins. Decay tests were performed following procedures outlined in the ASTM D2017-81/1994 standard, whereby sample specimens were subjected to attack by white rot fungus Trametes versicolor and brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum using pine (Pinus sp.) and embaúba (Cecropia sp.) as reference timber. Panels bonded with PVC resin were rated ‘resistant’ to attack by both fungi while those bonded with UF and TANI resins were rated ‘slightly resistant’ to their attack.