PERFORMANCE OF PARTICLEBOARD INCORPORATING RECYCLED RUBBER FROM WASTE TYRES

Recycling end-of-life tyres (EOLT) is a critical global challenge, aggravated by the increasing demand for tyres and their short lifespan. This study explored the effect of incorporating recycled rubber particles from EOLT into particleboard on the properties of the resulting panels. Particleboard panels were manufactured and tested for performance according to the Australian Standard AS/NZS 4266.1 (2017), and the results were benchmarked against Australian Standards (AS 1859.1 2017). These tests included bending strength and stiffness, thickness swelling, internal bond, and other key performance properties. The findings demonstrated that incorporating recycled rubber into particleboards reduced bending stiffness and strength as rubber content increased; however, panels with up to 30% rubber still met or exceeded the requirements for standard (STD) and moisture-resistant (MR) particleboard. Additionally, increasing rubber content improved moisture resistance, and all particleboards tested surpassed the moisture resistance requirements for both STD and MR classifications.