Flame retardant properties of oil palm trunk particleboard with addition of epoxy resin as a binder and aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide as additives

摘要

This research aimed at investigating the effect of epoxy resin and flame retardant additives on oil palm trunk particleboard. The oil palm trunk was used as a raw material with epoxy resin as a binder, which was synthesized by a reaction of epichlorohydrin and phenolphthalein, while aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide were used as flame retardant additives to manufacture particle boards. Four different types of particle boards were produced, control board, board with 10% epoxy resin, board with 10% epoxy resin and 6% aluminium hydroxide and board with 10% epoxy resin and 6% magnesiumhydroxide, based on a target density of 0.80 g cm$^{a??3}$, at a temperature of 180$^{circ}$C, a pressure of 5 MPa and a pressing time of 20 min. The mechanical, physical, functional group, spectroscopic, morphological and elemental analysis properties were determined in comparison with control particleboard. Thermal degradation and flame retardant analyses were also carried out to analyse the thermal properties of particle boards. The results indicated that particleboard bonded with epoxy resin and flame retardant additives had improved mechanical, physical, thermal and flame retardant properties compared to control oil palm trunk particleboard. Overall results showed that epoxy resin as a binder and aluminium hydroxide and magnesiumhydroxide as additives have the potential to be incorporated into the particleboard to improve flame retardant properties.