UC Davis

The objective of this research was to characterize the qualities (mechanical properties and water resistance) of particleboard made from saline Jose Tall Wheatgrass (JTW), Agropyron elongatum. For the JTW particleboards made with 4% polymeric methane dipherryl diisocyanate (PMDI), the mechanical properties and water resistance improved with the increase of particleboard density from 0.71 to 0.75 g/cm(3). The particleboards with density of 0.74g/cm(3) had similar mechanical properties of wood-based particleboards, except for lower internal bond strength. Among the particleboards made with particles of different initial moisture contents from 2% to 10%, the particleboard with the particles of 8% initial moisture content had the highest qualities. The pretreatment using NaOH solution to wash the JTW particles reduced the qualities of finished particleboards bonded with both PMDI and urea formaldehyde (UF) resins. Particle-boards made with PMDI showed superior qualities than those made with UF, as shown by the measured contact angle results between the adhesives and JTW.