Properties of composite wood panels fabricated from Eastern redcedar employing various bio-based green adhesives

Bio-based flours derived from distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), Osage orange seed meal (OOSM), or defatted commercial soybean meal flour-Prolia (PRO) were employed as adhesives with Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) wood (ERC) to fabricate composite wood panels (CWPs). OOSM and DDGS were defatted, milled, and screened prior to use. PRO was employed as provided. DDGS, OOSM, or PRO flour were mixed dry with ERC wood to make CWPs using the following conditions: molding temperature of 185 °C, ERC particle sizes of ≤75 µm to 1700 µm, pressure of 5.6 MPa, and employed in flour dosages of 10% to 75%. Flexural properties of DDGS and OOSM flour-ERC composites were similar to composites fabricated using PRO as the resin/adhesive. The dimensional stability properties (water absorption and thickness swelling) of all composites were similar. ERC CWP properties satisfied several European Committee Industry Standards for commercially acceptable CWPs in terms of their flexural properties but were inferior in terms of thickness swelling when subjected to water immersion testing. Surface roughness and color analysis of CWPs were also conducted. Statistical correlations between surface roughness and color properties and the composition of the CWPs were conducted. ERC CWPs were found to have termite resistance.