EFFECT OF BAGASSE FINENESS AND GLUE ADDESIVE
ON THE QUALITY OF PARTICLE BOARD

Gading F Hutasoit

(Indonesian Sugar Research Institute, ISRI)

ABSTRACT

Wood demand has been increased in the last decade, while supply. One of the ways to meet demands is to look for a material as a wood substitute. The wood substitute should be cheap due to moneter and economic crisis. Particle board out of bagasse, is agood material for substitute wood. The acceptability of particle board as a wood substitute depend upon the quality, besides prices. There are many factors which affect the quality of particle board. The objective oh this research is to study the effect of bagasse fineness and proportion of glue on the quality of particle board. Bagasse was grinded and sieved. There were two types of bagasse which use in particle board making, they are coarse and fine fraction. Coarse fraction was retained in sieve of 14 mesh. Fine fractions was passed 14 mesh and retained in 28 mesh, while fraction passed 28 mesh was not used. Dry fraction was mixed with glue. The proportion of glue was varied they were 23 ; 28 ; 32 and 37% of dry weight fraction. Mixture of bagasse and glue was pressed. The physical and mechanical characters were measured. The result showed that characters of mixture of coarse fraction and 37% glue fulfilled the requirement of SII (Industrial Standard of Indonesia) 0797-83. The characters were density 0,55 g/cm3 ; thickness swelling (2 hours) 8%; thickness swelling (24 hours) 16% ; moisture 5,5% ; bending strength 121 kg/cm2 and screw holding 41 kg.

Key words : Bagasse, sieving, fraction, glue, particle board.

(Indonesian Sugar Research Journal Vol.XXXIV (2) Juni 1998 :43-50)