EFFECT OF MIXING COCOA POD PARTICLES WITH PLANTAIN PSEUDOSTEM ON PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PARTICLEBOARD
EFFECT OF MIXING COCOA POD PARTICLES WITH PLANTAIN PSEUDOSTEM ON PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PARTICLEBOARD
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Date
2014
Authors
MENSAH, Prosper
Mitchual, J Stephen
Frimpong-Mensah, K
APPIAH-KUBI, Emmanuel
Donkoh, Mark
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Publisher
Environmental Engineering
Abstract
The study assessed the effect which plantain pseudostem particles in combination with cocoa pod had
on the physical and mechanical properties of particleboards. This is against the backdrop that previous
studies have indicated that particleboards produced from only plantain pseudostem particles had very good
physical and mechanical properties whilst those produced from only cocoa pod had poor physical and
mechanical properties. The two biomass materials were blended at the following ratios: 100:0; 90:10; 70:30;
50:50; 30:70; 10:90 and 0:100 (plantain pseudostem: cocoa pod). Cassava starch and urea formaldehyde
were used as adhesives. Physical and mechanical properties of particleboards tested using ASTM standard
procedures were: density, thickness swelling, water absorption, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture,
hardness and internal bond strength. The results indicate that with the exception of density, all the physical
and mechanical properties of the particleboards improved significantly with increased percentages of
plantain pseudostem in the biomass mix. This is due to low bulk density, relatively high lignin content and
higher aspect ratio of the plantain pseudostem particles. Generally, the particleboards produced met or
exceeded the EN and JIS standard requirements. At 5% level of significance, the raw material mix and the
adhesive type had significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of the particleboards
produced. In view of the results obtained the manufactured particleboards could be utilized for general
purpose work including furniture for interior environments.
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Citation
Mitchual, S. J., Frimpong-Mensah, K., & Darkwa, N. A. (2014). Evaluation of fuel properties of six tropical hardwood timber species for briquettes. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 2014.