Effect of moisture content on manufacturing cement-bonded particleboard using supercritical CO2

This study examined the effects of moisture content (MC) on the manufacture of cement-bonded particleboard (CBP) using supercritical CO2 in the curing process. Significant correlations were found between MC and the performance of CBP: the internal bond strength, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity values of CBP achieved their maximums, when the MC of boards was approximately 30%. This finding indicated that during the curing phase of manufacturing CBP, a MC of about 30%, which is nearly equal to the water-cement (w/c) ratio of about 0.34, contributes to improved mechanical properties. However, the mechanical properties decreased when the MC was below 30%, which had a negative effect on board performance, indicating that carbon dioxide could not fully react and no carbonation occurred during the curing process. Maintaining a MC of approximately 30% as an ordinary condition of the cement required in the curing of CBP could promote the reaction of carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which leads to increased final strength of CBP. Both X-ray diffractometry and thermal gravimetry observation agreed well with these results and clarified that the increase of CaCO3 content caused by carbonation with increased MC of boards contributed to improving the mechanical properties of CBP.