Development and Evaluation of Particleboard Composites Using Ipil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Author

Nikka Denese S. Maniego, Alleina B. Enriquez, Nicole M. Barlao, Acelle May C. Rosales, R-Jay B. Tayao, Jayson F. Eugelio


Abstract

 This study explored the potential of Ipil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) as alternative and sustainable raw materials for particleboard production. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the physical and mechanical properties of particleboards produced using two different inclusion ratios: 25% water hyacinth and 75% Ipil-Ipil, and 75% water hyacinth and 25% Ipil-Ipil. The particleboards were assessed in terms of moisture content, bulk density, and internal bond strength. The plant materials were collected, prepared, dried, crushed, sieved, mixed with adhesive, molded, and allowed to dry before testing. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the collected data and determine whether significant differences existed between the two formulations. Results showed that the particleboard containing 25% water hyacinth and 75% Ipil-Ipil performed better overall. It recorded a moisture content of 8.55%, a bulk density of 659.83 kg/m³, and an internal bond strength of 0.615 MPa. In comparison, the formulation containing 75% water hyacinth and 25% Ipil-Ipil recorded 11.55% moisture content, 539.83 kg/m³ bulk density, and 0.377 MPa internal bond strength. The differences between the two formulations were statistically significant at p < .001. The findings show that both plant materials can be used for particleboard production, although their proportions significantly affect the resulting board properties. Overall, the formulation with 25% water hyacinth and 75% Ipil-Ipil provided better moisture control, higher density, and stronger internal bonding under the conditions of the study



Keywords

Ipil-Ipil, water hyacinth, particleboard, sustainable materials, internal bond strength



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References


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