Development and Characterization of Biodegradable, Binderless Fiberboards from Eggplant Straw Fibers

Currently, wood-based panels are mainly made from wood and adhesives containing formaldehyde. With the growing demand for raw materials and increasing concern for human health, the use of residues from annual crops to manufacture binder-free biodegradable biomass boards has attracted increasing interest. The aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable bio-board without any adhesives using eggplant straw fibers. The bio-boards were produced via simple mechanical refinement of eggplant straw fibers and were formed under pressures of 2.0 MPa, 3.5 MPa, 5.0 MPa, 6.5 MPa, and 8.0 MPa. The mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the manufactured bio-boards were evaluated. With increasing applied pressure, the bending rupture stress of the bio-boards increased from 27.69 MPa to 45.29 MPa, the tensile rupture stress varied from 12.45 MPa to 24.62 MPa, the water absorption decreased from 91.45% to 88.29%, and the contact angle increased from 89.67° to 90.45°. The bio-boards were subjected to morphological analysis (SEM) and porosity and crystallinity measurements (XRD), and the results indicated that the water absorption of the bio-boards was due to a combination of porosity and crystallinity. The results showed that eggplant straw is suitable for manufacturing bio-boards.