İbrahim Bektaş

The Manufacture of Particleboards using Sunflower Stalks (helianthus annuus l.) And Poplar Wood ( populus alba L.)

In this study, three-layer particleboards are produced from a mixture of sunflower stalks (Helianthus annuus L.) and poplar wood (Populus alba L.) at certain ratios utilizing urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesives. Panels with a density of 0.7 g/cm 3are manufactured with the ratios of 25, 50, and 75 percent particles from sunflower stalks or poplar. For comparison, panels are solely manufactured with sunflower stalks and poplar wood. All panels are tested for physical properties (thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA)) and mechanical properties (internal bond (IB), modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and screw holding capacity (SHC)). Results show that all the panels provide properties required by the Turkish standards for general purpose-use particleboards. Furthermore, properties of the panels have improved with the rising percentage of poplar particles in the panels. The combination of sunflower stalks and poplar particles can be used at different ratios and the resulting panels can be utilized in indoor applications for general purposes such as furniture manufacturing. This result may prove that sunflower stalks can be an alternative raw material for the manufacture of particleboards.

The Effects of Heat Treatment on Some Mechanical Properties of Juvenile Wood and Mature Wood of Eucalyptus grandis

Heat treatment is a well-known method for modifying wood that is applied in different ways, and treatment schedules change from tree to tree. This treatment improves the physical properties of wood but, in general, it reduces the mechanical properties of wood. The effects of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of juvenile and mature wood of the same tree species have not been well-defined. Therefore, we focused our study on the differences in the mechanical properties of juvenile wood and mature wood of Eucalyptus grandis after both were subjected to heat treatment. Wood samples were treated at temperatures of 120, 150, and 180°C for 4, 6, and 8 h. The test results showed that decreases in the mechanical properties of juvenile wood (e.g., modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), compression strength (CS), and impact bending (IB)) were greater than the decreases that occurred in mature wood that was heat treated at the same conditions.

THE EFFECTS OF WOOD SPECIES, LOAD DIRECTION, AND ADHESIVES ON BENDING PROPERTIES OF LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER

In this study, the bending strength and stiffness of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) produced from beech (Fagus orientalis L.), poplar (Populus x euramericana I-214), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden) wood using urea formaldehyde (UF), melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF), and phenol formaldehyde (PF) adhesives were determined. The tests were conducted in the flatwise and edgewise directions. The modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), specific modulus of rupture (SMOR), and specific modulus of elasticity (SMOE) were calculated. Variance analysis of the bending properties indicated that the effects of the species of tree, the direction of the load, and the type of adhesive were statistically significant. However, according to variance analysis of the SMOR, the effects of the type of adhesive were not significant. The results showed that the type of adhesive did not influence the bending properties of laminated veneer lumber. It can be stated that the differences among groups were due to differences in their densities. The direction of the load and the species of the tree had significant effects on the bending properties.

Some mechanical properties of plywood produced from eucalyptus, beech, and poplar veneer

In this study, we determined the flexural properties and tensile shear strength of five-ply plywood panels produced with eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis), beech (Fagus orientalis.), and hybrid poplar (Populus x euramericana) using urea-formaldehyde (UF), melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) adhesives. Flexural properties were tested on both parallel and perpendicular to grain samples. Tensile shear-strength tests were conducted on four glue lines of the plywood panels, and the effects of species of trees, type of adhesives, and direction of load were determined. The results of variance analyses showed that the effects of species of trees, direction of load, and type of adhesive on flexural properties were significant, but it was determined by specific flexural properties that the effect of the type of adhesive was based on the density of the plywood. In addition, as a result of findings, it can be said that specific mechanical properties may be a good predictor for comparative studies.