Thermal behavior of banana pseudostem–wood dust hybrid particleboards bonded with phenol–formaldehyde resin

Abstract This study evaluates the thermal behavior of phenol–formaldehyde (PF)‐bonded banana pseudostem–wood dust (BPS–WD) hybrid particleboards. Boards with BPS:WD ratios of 100:0, 70:30, and 50:50 were fabricated at a target density of 0.50 g cm − 3, a nominal size of 340 mm × 340 mm × 25 mm, a fixed PF loading of 5 wt% on a dry‐particle basis, and a hot‐press temperature of 181°C. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to compare mass‐loss behavior up to approximately 800°C and final residue, while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used for comparative interpretation of the retained heat‐flow curves. All formulations showed an initial mass loss below approximately 100°C, followed by the principal lignocellulosic degradation region and slower high‐temperature decomposition. The 100:0 formulation produced the highest final residual mass (12.72%), followed by 70:30 (6.03%) and 50:50 (1.42%). The remaining residue may include both carbonaceous char and inorganic mineral ash; therefore, residual mass was not interpreted as a direct ranking of overall board quality. The DSC profiles also differed among the formulations, demonstrating that the BPS:WD ratio affected heat‐flow response. These findings establish a focused thermal comparison of PF‐bonded BPS–WD particleboards and provide a basis for future work using fully recorded quantitative thermal‐transition parameters.