Influence of the content of recycled artificial leather waste particles in particleboards on their selected properties

Abstract

Influence of the content of recycled artificial leather waste particles in particleboards on their selected properties. Artificial leather is a layered fabric-plastic composite that resembles natural leather in appearance. Due to its wide range of advantages, artificial leather is widely used as an upholstery material in the renovation and production of furniture or even car upholstery. The aim of the research was to manage upholstery leather waste by adding previously shredded particles of artificial leather of different contents (5, 10, 25 and 50% by weight) to particleboard. Tests of selected mechanical properties (bending strength and modulus of elasticity and resistance to screw withdrawal) and physical properties (density profile, thickness swelling after immersion in water) were completed. It can be concluded that, depending on the further use of the board, there is a possibility of using the recovered artificial leather particles as a reasonable addition to wood fibres in the production of particleboard.