Effects of air injection on properties of particleboard manufactured using a radio-frequency hot press

• Published in: Journal of wood science 2014, Vol.60 (1), p.66-73
• Main Authors: Korai, Hideaki, Osada, Takayoshi, Sumida, Atsushi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: air; Air injection; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Boards; Bond strength; Bonding strength; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Density; dielectric heating; Joint ventures; Life Sciences; Materials Science; Original Article; Particle board; particleboards; Pressing; product quality; Radio frequency; Reduction; thickness; wood processing; Wood Science & Technology
• ISSN: 1435-0211; 1611-4663
• DOI: 10.1007/s10086-013-1358-y

The effectiveness of air injection for preventing the blowout of particleboards manufactured using a radio-frequency hot press was investigated by evaluating the board properties under artificially created conditions that were conducive to blowout. For evaluation, 10-mm-thick boards with densities of 0.7 and 0.8 g/cm³ and 20-mm-thick boards with a density of 0.7 g/cm³ were manufactured. Pressing times for the 10-mm-thick boards were 2, 4, 6, and 8 min, and those for the 20-mm-thick boards were 4, 6, 8, and 10 min. Without air injection, blowout occurred in all manufactured boards. With air injection, however, blowout did not occur in the 10-mm-thick boards with a density of 0.7 g/cm³. Moreover, air injection prevented blowout even when the board density and board thickness were increased to 0.8 g/cm³ (for 10-mm-thick boards) and 20 mm (the density was kept at 0.7 g/cm³), respectively. Air-injection radio-frequency pressing reduced the pressing time from 4 to 2 min for 10-mm-thick boards, and from 6 to 4 min for 20-mm-thick boards. Moreover, this reduction in the pressing time was achieved without a large reduction in the internal bond strength of the boards.