Evaluation of the physical and biological properties of particleboard and flakeboard made from Cupressus spp

In this study, the biological resistance and physical–mechanical properties of laboratory made particleboard and flakeboard using natural and acetylated particles and flakes of cypress (Cupressus spp.), planted in Brazil, were examined. Boards with 10% urea–formaldehyde resin were pressed for 8 min at 160°C. The experimental design was a 22 complete factorial, with four replicates per treatment, totalling 16 single-layer panels of 550×500×13 mm with a mean density of 0.70 gcm−3. The panels were cut into samples, and their physical and mechanical properties determined according to ASTM D 1037-96a standard. Cypress panels were tested in the laboratory for durability, according to ASTM D 2017-81. Control panels were classified as “resistant” when exposed to the brown-rot fungus, Gloeophyllum trabeum, while the acetylation process improved the resistance of the cypress panels, which were subsequently classified as “highly resistant”. The same effect was observed for specimens exposed to the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Regarding mechanical properties, the manufactured cypress panels should be classified as grade M-3, according to ANSI A208.1, except for internal bond and modulus of elasticity of flakeboards and particleboards, respectively. Dimensional stability of flakeboards and particleboards was very low. Acetylated panels showed better physical but lower mechanical properties than the control panels. Swelling of acetylated cypress flakeboards, after 2 and 24 h of water immersion, was lower than the maximum required by EN 312-4 standards. Cupressus spp. wood was shown to be very suitable to be processed into reconstituted panels.