Plywood Sheet from Oil Palm Fibers Mixed with Natural Rubber Latex

Abstract

In this paper, the possibility of the new plywood production from oil palm fiber composites with natural rubber latex and wood glue was investigated. Oil palm fiber as an agricultural waste was mashed and mixed with wood glue and latex, then compression mounding at 30 Ton. Under the optimal conditions, the results present that the density of the fabricated plywood increased to 10.19, 11.60, 19.24, 19.46 and 19.48%, the moisture absorption raised between 18.61, 23.20, 26.86, 32.74 and 34.86% and the swelling of sheet increased from 9.66, 21.85, 5.88, 26.89, and 22.69%, with increasing the amount of the percentage of latex between 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%, respectively. The study also showed the decreasing of compressive strength to 30.21, 33.71, 48.90, 66.12, and 69.11% and the Young's modulus are 28.77, 40.19, 46.54, 55.53, and 61.03, proportional to the amount of natural rubber latex. Therefore, the increment of rubber latex combines with oil palm fiber provided the synergistic and outstanding property for plywood such as the flexibility. In addition, the maximum level of rubber latex that can add in the develop plywood is 4%, compressive stress is 21.00 MPa and the Young's modulus is 1800 MPa that are acceptable from the Thai industrial standard 876-2547.