Performance of Particleboard Made of Agroforestry Residues Bonded with Thermosetting Adhesive Derived from Waste Styrofoam

• Published in: Polymers
• Main Author: Karliati T.; Lubis M.A.R.; Dungani R.; Maulani R.R.; Hadiyane A.; Rumidatul A.; Antov P.; Savov V.; Lee S.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85185728991&doi=10.3390%2fpolym16040543&partnerID=40&md5=de1d72ac796ab876e92391d8951fbb4d

This paper investigated the upcycling process of thermoplastic waste polystyrene (WPS) into thermosetting particleboard adhesive using two cross-linkers, namely methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and maleic anhydride (MA). The WPS was dissolved in an organic co-solvent. The weight ratio of WPS/co-solvent was 1:9, and 10% of cross-linkers based on the WPS solids content were added subsequently at 60 °C under continuous stirring for 30 min. The adhesive properties, cohesion strength, and thermo-mechanical properties of WPS-based adhesives were examined to investigate the change of thermoplastic WPS to thermosetting adhesives. The bonding strength of WPS-based adhesives was evaluated in particleboard made of sengon (Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barneby & J.W. Grimes) wood and rice straw particles at different weight ratios according to the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) A 5908:2003. Rheology and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis revealed that modification with MDI and MA resulted in thermosetting properties in WPS-based adhesives by increasing the viscosity at a temperature above 72.7 °C and reaching the maximum storage modulus above 90.8 °C. WPS modified with MDI had a lower activation energy (Ea) value (83.4 kJ/mole) compared to the WPS modified with MA (150.8 kJ/mole), indicating the cross-linking with MDI was much faster compared with MA. Particleboard fabricated from 100% sengon wood particles bonded with WPS modified with MDI fulfilled the minimum requirement of JIS A 5908:2003 for interior applications. © 2024 by the authors.