Influence of resin content on the properties of particleboard made from different parts of oil palm biomass

The increasing availability of oil palm biomass offers significant potential as a sustainable raw material for particleboard, particularly for non-structural furniture and interior applications traditionally dominated by wood-based panels. This study investigated the physical and mechanical properties of particleboards manufactured from three oil palm residues; trunks (OPT), fronds (OPF), and empty fruit bunches (EFB) using urea-formaldehyde resin at contents of 8%, 10%, and 12%. All boards were produced at a target density of 700 kg/m³ and hot-pressed at 165°C for 360 seconds. Particleboards fabricated from OPT satisfied the minimum mechanical requirements of the standard at all resin contents, indicating their suitability for furniture components such as panels, shelving, and carcass materials. OPF-based boards achieved acceptable strength only at the highest resin level (12%), while EFB-based boards failed to meet the required mechanical criteria regardless of resin content. None of the particleboards met the dimensional stability standard, with 24h thickness swelling values exceeding the permissible <12% limit under water immersion. Overall, the results demonstrate that oil palm trunk residues show the greatest potential for value-added particleboard production in furniture and interior applications, supporting the broader objective of reducing reliance on solid wood resources in the wood-based panel industry.