Heart and splint of Acacia melanoxylon as raw material for particleboard

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the effect of sapwood and heartwood of Acacia melanoxylon on particleboard properties. Three layer particleboards, 16 mm in thickness, and 640 kg/m3 were produced. Boards with 4 sapwood/ heartwood mixtures in proportions of 100/0, 66/33, 33/66, and 0/100 were tested. Higher content of extractives and lower pH-value in heartwood compared to sapwood were determined.
As the amount of heartwood in the sapwood/heartwood particle mixture increased, the physical-mechanical properties of particleboards improved, except for internal bond (IB). Particleboards with 100% heartwood presented the highest MOR and MOE values, and the lowest swelling and water absorption values.