Enhancing Dimensional Stability of Oriented Strand Composites within Biorefinery

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of hot water extraction process on the dimensional stability of oriented strand composites. Aspen wood strands were extracted using various severity factor levels. Phenol formaldehyde and polymethylene diphenyl diisocyanate resins were used for production of the oriented strandboard panels. Six panel groups were produced from the extracted or unextracted aspen wood strands. The dimensional stability of the material was evaluated by measures of equilibrium moisture content and thickness swell and water absorption after soaking in water for 2 hours and 24 hours. Results obtained in this study showed that thickness swell and water absorption values significantly decreased with the hot water extraction process, with the thickness swell of phenol formaldehyde bonded panels decreasing 70% after 2 hours soaking. The panels with polymethylene diphenyl diisocyanate resin exhibited lower thickness swell and water absorption relative to the panels prepared with phenol formaldehyde resin. Equilibrium moisture content values of the panels bonded with both phenol formaldehyde and polymethylene diphenyl diisocyanate resin decreased with the extraction process. The findings of this work indicate that hot water extraction process could be effectively used to produce oriented strand composites having an enhanced dimensional stability property.