Curing temperatures and hardener resin addition affecting drying and properties of particle boards

The effects of curing temperatures and hardener resin addition on the drying and properties of cold pressed particle boards are experimentally investigated and presented. Optimum values of the modulus of rupture, maximum crushing and tensile strengths are found to occur at a curing temperature of 200°C. Increased additions of hardener resin to the particle boards show an increase in strength and property values although curing temperature and addition of hardener resin appear not to have any appreciable effect on the percentages of water absorption of the particle boards. Empirical formulas, based on the diffusion model and the drying data (i.e. moisture ratios) with drying times of the particle board are computed and presented for various curing temperatures and at different percentages of hardener resin addition.