Correlations Between Physical and Mechanical Properties of Particleboards from Different Eucalyptus Species

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the correlations between physical and mechanical properties of particleboards made from three Eucalyptus species. Apparent density, compression rate, thickness swelling, elastic modulus, rupture modulus, internal bonding and compression were evaluated. For panels made from Eucalyptus grandis, an increase of the elastic modulus with increases in compression ratio and apparent density was observed. A decrease in the properties of static bending with increases in water absorption was also observed. For the particleboards made form Eucalyptus cloeziana, high correlation was observed between elastic and rupture modulus and internal bonding properties. It was also possible to observe a tendency in the increase of thickness swelling after 2 hours, with increases in apparent density and compression ratio of the panels made with Eucalyptus saligna and Eucalyptus cloeziana.

Keywords:
linear relations; particleboards; Eucalyptus.