Study of the potentiality of manufacturing of MDF from products of pruning of palms

Abstract

This research investigates the potentiality of using date palm pruning products (DPPP) for production of medium-density fiber board (MDF) and suggesting the possible applications for the produced MDF according to the achieved results. Chemical, thermal and physical characterization of three DPPP forms of materials: The whole DPPP mixture (Midribs, midrib ends, fruit bunch, leaflets and coir), palm midribs only and fruit bunches only, were evaluated on basis of chemical constituents of the defibrated materials and electron micrographs were taken for both states of the raw material forms; raw and defibrated forms. Studying the longitudinal and transverse cross-sections of the raw materials to examine the morphology of the DPPP and study their relation with the mechanical properties. MDF samples with 9 mm thickness were produced from each of the three raw materials using two different resins for each material: Urea-formaldehyde (UF) and polymeric diphenyl methane di-isocyanate (MDI) at two resin content 10% and 12% for UF while resin content for MDI was 3% and 5%. The specimens for each material were studied for physical and mechanical properties. The average density produced was 752 kg/m3, the immersion of the specimens in distilled water for 24 hours showed an average swelling of 12.7% and water absorption with average 58.02% with a maximum formaldehyde emission of 22.54 mg/100 g which is acceptable according to the European standards (EN 120) which is tolerant with formaldehyde emissions up to 30 mg/100 g. Investigating the flexure strength of the specimens show an average value for MOR of 24.4 N/mm2 while the tensile elasticity showed an average MOE of 2917 N/mm2 with an internal bonding of 0.9 N/mm2.