USE OF BUCKWHEAT STALK IN PARTICLEBOARD BONDED WITH UREA-FORMALDEHYDE RESIN ADHESIVE

Buckwheat stalks were used as a raw material for particleboard. A urea-formaldehyde resin was synthesized in the laboratory with a 50% content of resin solids as particleboard binder. The laboratory particleboards were made using buckwheat stalks and hybrid poplar bonded with urea-formaldehyde resin, at a buckwheat stalk content of 0, 23, 48, 73 and 100% oven-dry weight. The physical and mechanical properties of the particleboards were tested according to the ASTM D 1037-99 procedure. The internal bond and flexural strength properties of the particleboards decreased gradually with an increasing buckwheat stalk content. However, the properties of all the particleboards exceeded the minimum requirements for the Korean Standard KS F 3104 for particleboard type 8.0. These results demonstrated the potential of buckwheat stalk as an alternative raw material for particleboard manufacture.