EVALUATING THE FLEXURAL STRENGTH AND WATER ABSORPTION PROPERTIES OF PARTICLEBOARD MADE FROM CORN STALKS AND WOOD SHAVINGS WITH VARIED RESIN RATIOS

Abstract

Agricultural waste contributes significantly to environmental and public health issues, including soil and water pollution, air quality degradation, and the spread of disease. Improper disposal of agricultural by-products results in environmental contamination, economic losses, and threats to global health and food security. This study aimed to develop ceiling particleboard by utilizing agricultural waste materials—specifically corn stalks and wood shavings—bonded with polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and cassava starch adhesives at varying resin ratios. This study employed an experimental research design to examine cause-and-effect relationships through controlled variable manipulation. The independent variable was the resin ratio of PVAc and cassava starch used in particleboard production, while the dependent variables were flexural strength and water absorption. Particleboards were produced using corn stalks and wood shavings bonded with 8%, 10%, and 12% resin contents. Flexural strength and water absorption tests were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing agricultural waste materials in ceiling particleboard applications. The results demonstrated that increasing adhesive content from 8% to 12% improved both flexural strength and water resistance of the particleboards. For PVAc-bonded boards, the Modulus of Elasticity (MoE) increased from 1,077 MPa to 1,738 MPa, while the Modulus of Rupture (MoR) increased from 7 MPa to 12 MPa. For cassava starch–bonded boards, the MoE rose from 364 MPa to 1,005 MPa, and the MoR increased from 3 MPa to 7 MPa. Water absorption rates decreased as adhesive content increased, indicating enhanced water resistance—from 25.42% to 18.69% for PVAc and from 95.45% to 40.00% for cassava starch. Evaluation against standards revealed that none of the samples met the minimum MoE requirement under JIS 5908. However, two samples met the minimum MoR requirement, and four samples satisfied the minimum water absorption requirement under IS 3087. The findings highlight the varying performance of the particleboard samples when assessed against established standards. The study emphasizes the significant influence of adhesive type and content on particleboard stability. Higher adhesive content resulted in improved flexural strength and water resistance, while superior adhesive quality contributed to better dimensional stability. These results suggest that optimizing both adhesive quality and resin content can enhance the performance and durability of agricultural waste–based particleboards.