Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.

If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options.

Athel tree, Tamarix aphylla (L), can potentially be used as a biomass crop to help with managing saline subsurface drainage water in arid land irrigated agriculture. In this study, Athel wood was used to manufacture medium-density particleboard with an aim of developing new applications for the saline wood. The research investigated the effects of different types of adhesives, particle sizes, bark content (BC), resin content (RC), and hot water pretreatment on the mechanical properties and water resistance of the Athel-derived medium-density particleboards. The measured mechanical properties include tensile strength (TS), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and internal bond strength (IB) of the finished particleboards. Water absorption and thickness swell were used to evaluate the water resistance. Compared with urea formaldehyde (UF), polymeric methane diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) resulted in a particleboard of better mechanical properties and water resistance. The medium size (20-40 mesh) particles gave the best mechanical properties and water resistance of the particleboard when they were evaluated against small size (40-60 mesh) and large size (10-20 mesh) particles. The mechanical properties of particleboard were improved as RC of UF increased from 7% to 16%, but deteriorated as BC increased from 0% to 16.2%. The particleboard made from the wood particles that had undergone hot water pretreatment had poor mechanical properties and water resistance compared with the particleboard made from untreated particles. Saline Athel wood is an appropriate material for manufacturing particleboards.