Using Siberian Fir (Abies sibirica) Dead Wood in Wood Fiberboard Production

Abstract

This paper considers the possibility of using Siberian fir (Abies sibirica) wood damaged by Polygraphus proximus Blandford after various periods of its death (up to 19 years) as raw material to produce fiberboard. Damaged wood was mechanically processed into chips of various dimensions as per GOST 15815(1983). The produced chips were used to prepare wood fiber pulp using thermomechanical methods and two stages of grinding with approximately the same conditions as those used to produce wet fiberboard. Fiber refining was performed using fibrillating refiner discs with all other conditions being equal. The paper considered the changes in quality indicators and fractional composition of fibers during the preparation of wood fiber pulp after different periods of wood death, as well as physical and mechanical properties of produced boards. The obtained research results may indicate the possibility of effectively using damaged Siberian fir wood after different periods of its death as raw material to produce fiberboards, while providing physical and mechanical properties of products (density 960 to 1070 kg/m³, static bending strength 36 to 44 MPa, internal bonding 0.51 to 0.7 MPa, modulus of elasticity 3880 to 4750 MPa, deflection 2.7 to 3.6 mm) that comply with GOST 4598-2018 (EN 622-2), while not requiring binding resins.