Particleboard Manufactured with Bicomponent Polyurethane Resin Base on Castor Oil

This study aimed to investigate, with the aid of the Brazilian NBR 14810:2002 standard, the physical properties: bulk density and moisture and mechanical properties: strength flexural modulus and internal compliance of particleboards manufacture with bicomponent polyurethane resins derived from castor oil and Cambará, Canelinha and Cedrinho fibres. The factors investigated were: nominal density (0.80 g/cm3), nominal thickness (10mm), moisture content of the particles (5%), percentage of resin (15%), time used in the pressing cycle (10min), hot pressing (100℃), pressing pressure (5MPa) and length of the particles (3 to 5mm), leading to a full factorial design of 22 type, providing four different experimental conditions. The mechanical properties of both materials prepared showed higher values than the stipulated by the standard. Physical properties, only the density has overstepped the bounds set by the NBR 14810:2002, rating the particleboards produced as high density.