Evaluation of durability performance of rice husk - cement bonded particleboards

Abstract

Alternative resources as substitute for wood raw materials has increased in the particleboard industry because of the depletion of forest resources. Studies of particleboard using wood residues and agricultural by-products have examined wheat straw, rice straws, husks, bagasse, walnut/almond shells, and palm trunks. Rice husk is the by-product in rice milling operation with an approximately 20 percent of the total weight of the paddy grain being processed. Despite the abundant nature of this waste product and its unique physical and chemical properties, it is not being fully harnessed in Nigeria. Only a little portion of the rice husk produced is utilized in a meaningful way, the remainder is burnt into ashes or dumped as a solid waste with little being used in animal feed formulation.

Particle board was produced from rice husk, an agro-waste and cement as binder. Physical and mechanical properties of the board were determined. The results show that, the percentage of thickness swelling and water absorption increased with increase in proportion of the binder to the rice husk. The Modulus of elasticity (MOE) values increase with increased mixing ratio for both the board thickness, while MOR values decrease with increase in mixing ratio for both particle sizes. Since the construction industry is a growing one, the use of renewable resources such as rice husk can reduce the strain on forest resource and form an excellent replacement for wood and wood based composite materials.