Manufacturing of Poplar (Populus deltoides) Particle Boards Using Radio Frequency curing of Urea Formaldehyde Adhesive.

This study investigated the physical and mechanical properties of particle boards prepared from the lops and tops of poplar (Populus deltoides) using Radio frequency (RF) pressing and urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. Boards were prepared with RF application times of 9, 12, and 15 minutes under pressures of 17.5, 21.0, and 24.5 kg/cm². Results showed that particle boards prepared at 24.5 kg/cm² with a 15-minute radio frequency application time performed well, meeting Indian Standard (IS: 3087) requirements. An inverse relationship between specific pressure (SP) and physical properties was observed, with increased SP leading to decreased moisture content, higher density, and reduced water absorption. In terms of mechanical properties, higher SP resulted in improved tensile strength (TS), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and screw withdrawal (SW) strength for both face and edge. These findings highlight the importance of specific pressure in enhancing the physical and mechanical characteristics of particle boards. Optimizing SP could lead to stronger, more durable boards, offering significant potential for improving quality in industrial applications using RF curing technology.