Low Density Wood-Based Particleboards Bonded with Foamable Sour Cassava Starch: Preliminary Studies

This work investigates the feasibility of producing low density particleboards using an adhesive system based on sour cassava starch, taking advantage of its adhesive and self-expansion properties. Relevant properties of the produced particleboards were evaluated according to European Standards including: density, internal bond, moisture content and thickness swelling. Low density particleboards were produced with densities between 207 kg/m³ and 407 kg/m³. The best performance corresponded to particleboard with a density of 318 kg/m³, an internal bond strength of 0.67 N/mm², and a thickness swelling of 8.7%. These values meet the standard requirements of general purpose lightweight boards for use in dry conditions. Heat post-treatment (24 h at 80 °C) led to lower internal bond strength, due to retrogradation (recrystallization of amylose and amylopectin chains upon cooling) causing higher rigidity of the starch binder. However, it showed to have a significant effect on decreasing the thickness swelling.