USE OF FIVE Eucalyptus species FOR PARTICLEBOARDS MANUFACTURE1

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of the use of five Eucalyptus species, originating from plantations with short rotation cycle, for particleboards manufacture. The following species have been studied: Eucalyptus benthamii, Eucalyptus dunni, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus saligna, Eucalyptus urograndis, their mixture and Pinustaeda as a control. 21 wood particleboard have been produced, with nominal density of 0.65 g/cm³, totaling 7 treatments. For the bonding, urea-formaldehyde resin was used, in the proportion of 8% of solids dry weight base of the particles, 2% of catalyst ammonium sulphate on weight of resin and 1% of paraffin. The Eucalyptus particleboards showed lower values of WA2h and WA24h than the particleboards produced with Pinus taeda. The particleboards composed Mix of species exhibited high dimensional stability similar to those produced with the pure Eucalyptus species. E. grandis showed values statistically higher of mechanical resistance (MOR and MOE) to those obtained by the other species studied, as well as, the Eucalyptus species were higher than the control species. In internal bond the particleboards produced with E. grandis was among the highest results of internal bond, being statistically similar to E. saligna. The species Mix particleboards exhibited proprieties in general similar to those produced with the pure Eucalyptus species. All species as well as the mix among them showed technical feasibility for particleboard manufacture.