The effects of pressure and pressing time on the mechanical and physical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch medium density fibreboard

Processing and performance of medium density fibreboards (MDF) with 12 mm thickness and 700 kg/m^3 density made of oil palm empty fruit bunch fibres (OPEFB) were studied in this project. OPEFB MDFs were made and tested using 12% of urea formaldehyde resin as the binder, 3% ammonium chloride as the hardener and 1% of wax. The samples were produced by using a hot press machine with three levels of pressure (130, 110 and 90 bar) and total pressing time (7, 8 and 9 min). Nine samples of OPEFB MDF were made with two replicates for each different setting of pressure and pressing time. The OPEFB MDF properties evaluated were modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bond (IB), thickness swell (TS), and water absorption (WA). A good result of MOR, IB and TS occurred at 90 bar of pressure and pressing time of 7 min. Pressure at 110 bar and pressing time of 7 min give the best result for MOE and good result for WA. The effects of changing pressure and pressing time on the press machine were significant in producing OPEFB MDF on the MOE, MOR, IB, TS, and WA.