Manufacture and properties of high-performance oriented strand board composite using thin strands

Abstract

Three-layered composite oriented strand boards were manufactured using very thin hinoki (Japanese cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) strands oriented in the faces and mixtures of sugi (Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don.) and hinoki particles in the core. The boards were composed of two density levels, with 1:8:1, 0.5: 9 : 0.5, and 0: 10 : 0 face: core: face ratios. Polymeric and emulsion type isocyanate resins were used. The resin contents for the strands in the face and particles in the core were 10% and 5%, respectively. The steam-injection press was applied at 0.62MPa (160°C), and the steam-injection time was 2min. The mechanical and physical properties of the boards were evaluated based on the Japanese Industrial Standard. The parallel moduli of rupture and elasticity along the strand orientation direction and the wood screw retaining force increased with increasing face/core ratios. Incorporation of 10%–20% of thin strands in the face of the boards improved the parallel moduli of rupture and elasticity by 47%–124% and 30%–65%, respectively. In addition, the thickness swelling after water-soaking at 20°C for 24h, and the parallel linear expansion after boiling for 2h and water-soaking at 20°C for 1 h, of the three-layered composite boards were below 8% and 0.15%, respectively, despite a short steam-injection press time. The thickness swelling of the boards decreased with increasing face/core ratios. In contrast, the presence of face strands seems to have a minimal effect on the moduli of rupture and elasticity along the perpendicular direction of the three-layered composite boards. A similar trend was observed for the internal bond strength, hardness, and linear expansion along the perpendicular direction.