Sains Malaysiana 46(9)(2017): 1361–1367

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4609-02

 

Effect of Microwave Pretreatment on the Properties of Particleboard Made from Para Rubber Wood Sawdust with the Addition of Polyhydroxyalkanoates

(Kesan Prarawatan Ketuhar Gelombang Mikro ke atas Sifat Papan Partikel yang Diperbuat

daripada Habuk Gergaji Kayu Getah Para dengan Polihidroksialkanoat)

 

 

JUTARUT IEWKITTAYAKORN¹*, PIYAPORN KHUNTHONGKAEW¹, WILAIWAN CHOTIGEAT^1,2 & KUMAR SUDESH³

 

¹Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University,Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand

 

²Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics Research, Department of Molecular Biotechnology

and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112

Thailand

 

³Ecobiomaterial Research Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

11800 Penang, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

 

Received: 31 August 2016/Accepted: 17 January 2017

 

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of microwave pretreatment on the properties of particleboard made from para rubber wood sawdust with the addition of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Para wood sawdust was pretreated with microwaves at different wattages (400, 600 and 800 W) and pretreatment times (5, 10 and 15 min) before being mixed with 10 wt. % of pure PHAs and 10 wt. % freeze-dried cells which contained 46.90% wt. % PHA, in order to make particleboard. The physical and mechanical properties of the particleboard panels obtained were also tested based on the Japanese Industrial Standards A 5098 for particleboard (JIS A5908) including modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bonding (IB), water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS). The results showed that only panel made from 10 wt. % freeze-dried cells and treated with 400 watts for 5 min passed the minimum requirements of MOR (7.86 ± 0.67 MPa) and IB (1.62 ± 0.06 MPa) but not passed that of WA (40.09 ± 6.53%) and TS (34.69 ± 5.43%). The panels without the addition of PHA cannot test WA and TS values because the panels dispersed immediately when submerged in water. The MOR of panels decreased with increasing wattages and pretreatment time. The wattage and pretreatment time of microwave had little effect on the WA and TS. Based on this study, microwave treatment is an appropriate method for the pretreatment of materials and PHAs can be promoted as potential additives for making particleboard.

 

Keywords: Microwave; para rubber wood sawdust; particleboard; PHA; polyhydroxyalkanoates

 

ABSTRAK

Tujuan penyelidikan ini adalah untuk mengkaji kesan prarawatan ketuhar gelombang mikro pada sifat papan partikel yang diperbuat daripada habuk gergaji kayu getah para dengan penambahan polihidroksialkanoat (PHA). Habuk gergaji kayu getah para telah diprarawat dengan ketuhar gelombang mikro pada watt yang berbeza (400, 600 dan 800 W) dan masa prarawatan (5, 10 dan 15 min) sebelum dicampur dengan 10 % bt. PHA tulen dan 10 % bt. sel kering sejuk beku yang mengandungi 46.90% % bt. PHA untuk membuat papan partikel. Sifat fizikal dan mekanik panel papan partikel yang diperoleh juga diuji berdasarkan Piawaian Industri Jepun - A 5098 bagi papan partikel (JIS A5908) termasuk modulus rekahan (MOR), ikatan dalaman (IB), penyerapan air (WA) dan ketebalan pembengkakan (TS). Keputusan kajian menunjukkan bahawa hanya panel yang diperbuat daripada 10 % bt. sel kering sejuk beku dan dirawat dengan 400 watt untuk 5 min melepasi keperluan minimum MOR (7.86 ± 0.67 MPa) dan IB (1.62 ± 0.06 MPa) tetapi tidak melepasi WA (40.09 ± 6.53%) dan TS (34.69 ± 5.43%). Panel tanpa penambahan PHA tidak boleh menguji nilai WA dan TS kerana panel terserak serta-merta apabila ditenggelami air. Panel MOR menyusut dengan peningkatan watt dan masa prarawatan. Kuasa dan masa prarawatan ketuhar gelombang mikro mempunyai sedikit kesan ke atas WA dan TS. Berdasarkan kajian ini, rawatan ketuhar gelombang mikro adalah satu kaedah yang sesuai untuk prarawatan bahan dan PHA boleh dipromosikan sebagai aditif yang berpotensi untuk membuat papan partikel.

 

Kata kunci: Habuk gergaji kayu getah para; ketuhar gelombang mikro; papan partikel; PHA; polihidroksialkanoat

 

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*Corresponding author; email: jutarut.p@psu.ac.th