Development and characterization of a particleboard from coconut shell and potato waste for housing construction applications

Abstract

Coconut shell particles (CSP), an agro-waste product of coconut (Cocos Nucifera), is generated in large quantities from coastal parts of Kenya and in food industries. This waste is generally disposed of in open areas adversely affecting the environment. Another agro-waste produced in large quantities and disposed of by hotels in urban areas is potato tuber waste (PTW); these have been used to prepare CSP reinforced potato tuber waste (tuber solanum) particleboard (PB). The main objective of this study was to develop a PB from CSP and PTW for housing construction applications. Specific objectives included: analysing the chemical and physical properties of raw and processed CSP, fabrication of a PB using processed CSP at varying consolidation pressure, temperature and particle sizes and evaluation of the physical and mechanical properties of the board. CSP was subjected to particle size distribution. The PB prepared by incorporating different volume fractions of water-ethanol treated CSP into PTW with 30% of water as a plasticizer. CSP of sizes of 1, 2, 3.15 and 4 mm and PTW were blended at ratios of 10:90, 20:80,30:70, 40:60 and 50:50 % and moulded into PB using hot hydraulic compression. The manufactured boards were analysed to ascertain the effects of resin content, blend percentage, and particle size on the board's properties, and characterized for physical and mechanical properties. The lignocellulosic, moisture and ash contents of CSP from both untreated and treated samples were analysed. CSP and PTW were thermally analysed. The resulting PB were then examined using a variety of techniques, including mechanical characteristics, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water absorbance, and thickness swelling. For the sizes of 1, 2, 3.15, and 4 mm, the fractions of the particle sizes were distributed as 0.33, 0.32, 0.28, and 0.05, respectively. The lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose content of the untreated and treated CSP varied between 30.83% to34.41% for lignin, 23.61% to 34.65% for cellulose and 32.53% to 30.55% for hemicellulose while the moisture content of raw CSP and CSP residue was 5.90% and 12.09%respectively. Ash content was found to be 0.76% and 0.86 % for raw CSP and treated CSP respectively. The results showed that the tensile strength of the treated CSP board varied from 1.10 to 8.17 MPa, the modulus of rupture of CSP particleboard varied from 7.35 to 16.20 N/mm 2 , the water absorbance of the composites increased significantly from 21.87 to 56.98%, the thickness swelling varied from 14.76% to 52.11%, and the density laid at the range of 0.11 to 0.15 g/cm 3 . From the results it was concluded that the maximum weight fraction of CSP size distribution was at 1 + < 1 mm, lignin and cellulose content increased for the treated CSP while hemicellulose decreased, the optimal conditions of fabricating the board was at 10 MPa ,160 °C and 10 minutes and that physical and mechanical properties depend on the particle size, resin content and the blend percentage. Recommendation based on the findings of the study the effect of internal bonding on PB could be explored and do optimization studies on the production of PB.