This study evaluates the effect of 1% to 5% NaOH treatments of cotton stalk particles on the chemical composition and physical and mechanical properties of particleboards produced with this material. Gas chromatography and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that the extractive, hemicellulose, and lignin content of the particles decreased during the alkali treatments, whereas the cellulose content increased. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the untreated particles exhibited higher thermal stability than the particles treated with NaOH. The decrease in thermal stability of alkali-treated particles seems to be due to degradation of chemical components. Alkali treatments raised water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS) of the produced particleboards. Except for 1% NaOH, the treatments reduced the modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and internal bond (IB) strength in relation to the board made with untreated particles. The 1% NaOH treatment of cotton stalks was more effective and beneficial, leading to particleboards with satisfying MOE, MOR, and IB values that met the requirements for general-purpose particleboards used in dry conditions, as indicated by the TS-EN 312 (2012) standard.
• The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of industrial heat-treatment (ThermoWood) effect on some important properties (density, anti-swelling effi ciency (ASE), electrical resistance, strength, hardness and color) of Iroko wood (Chlorophora excelsa
SAŽETAK • Cilj provedenog istraživanja bio je utvrditi utjecaj industrijske toplinske obrade (ThermoWood) na neka važna svojstva iroko drva (Chlorophora excelsa) (gustoću, učinak smanjenja bubrenja -ASE, električnu otpornost, čvrstoću, tvrdoću i boju). Uzorci su bili podvrgnuti toplinskoj obradi pri 190 °C u trajanju 120 minuta tijekom glavnog razdoblja toplinske obrade (ukupno vrijeme procesa bilo je 60 sati). Rezultati su pokazali da primijenjeni proces to-
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