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Wood-based panel applications recently have expanded and become increasingly competitive, especially within the furniture and civil construction industries. To remain competitive, such products must present physical properties that meet consumer needs. In this context, the incorporation of nanomaterials is gaining momentum, mainly as a means to improve the physical characteristics of panels, thereby expanding their applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical properties of medium density particleboard (MDP) panels after adding various proportions of nanocellulose in place of water to the urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive in MDP panel production. The results showed that the addition of nanocellulose resulted in no significant statistical difference in the density and moisture content of the panels. When tested for thickness swelling, only the panel with 100% nanocellulose solution exhibited a significantly higher value. The panels were subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, which showed that the addition of nanocellulose led to a more polished, less irregular surface. Such physical effects of nanocellulose can potentially make panels more suitable for coating applications. The feasibility of coatings on nanocellulose MDP panels can be verified through future tests to determine the surface roughness of the panels.

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Bark is a residue that can be used as fuel by the industry. One of the problems of its use is the impurity that it may contain. This study aimed to characterize physically and thermo-chemically the eucalyptus bark used as a fuel in a wood panel industry, relating the high heating value (HHV) with the ash content. Six treatments were provided according to particle size and washing process of the bark: T1 (850 μm to 425 μm/unwashed), T2 (retained on 250 μm/unwashed), T3 (< 150 μm/unwashed), T4 (850 μm to 425 μm/washed), T5 (retained on 250 μm/washed), T6 (< 150 μm/washed). The material was assessed regarding moisture content. The treatments were subjected to HHV and proximate analysis. The ashes were analyzed under SEM-EDS to identify the components/impurities. The data obtained in this study were statistically analyzed using the software R. The material presented moisture content of 70% on a dry basis, which is considered high for use in bioenergy. It was identified the presence of silica and calcium in the ash, which indicates the presence of soil in the material. The process of washing the bark was efficient for the reduction in ash content only in particle size < 150 μm. The separation of the bark in particle size was a better technique to reduce the impurities. The proximate analysis showed a significant difference among treatments. The ash content presented values from 2.63% (T1) to 13.86% (T3). The HHV was 18 828 J g −1 (T1) and 15 757 J g −1 (T3). The separation in particle size reduced 81.02% in the ash content, which represented an increase of 21.05% in the HHV. This result showed the effect of the ash content in the energy potential.

Pela crescente inquietação mundial de aumentar o uso de energia de fontes renováveis, os resíduos das mais variadas origens destacam-se como atraentes alternativas energéticas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar quimicamente e fisicamente a palha de cana-de-açúcar e a braquiária, para a produção de combustível sólido. Foram realizados cinco tratamentos: T1: 100% palha de cana, T2: 75% palha de cana e 25% braquiária, T3: 50% palha de cana e 50% braquiária, T4: 25% palha de cana e 75% braquiária e T5: 100% braquiária. Foi constatado que todos os tratamentos apresentaram propriedades aceitáveis como o PCS (> 17500 J/g) e teor de carbono fixo (>19%). Os resultados mostraram que ambos os materiais possuem potencial para o uso como biocombustível sólido.Palavras-chave: Resíduos, Briquete, Bioenergia, Poder Calorífico Superior

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