Manufacture of Cement-Bonded Particleboards from Korean Pine and Larch by Curing of Supercritical CO₂ Fluid

Cement-bonded particleboard is being used as outdoor siding material all over the world, because this composite particularly bears a light weight, high resistance against fire, decay, and crack by cyclic freezing and thawing, anti-shock property, and strength enhancement. Construction systems are currently changing into a frame-building style and wooden houses are being constructed with prefabrication type. Therefore, they require a more durability at outdoor-exposed sides. In this study, the cement hydration property for Korean pine particle, Japanese larch particle and face- and middle layer particles (designated as PB particle below) used in Korean particleboard-manufacturing company was investigated, and the rapid manufacturing characteristics of cement-bonded particleboard by supercritical $CO_2$ curing was evaluated. Korean pine flour showed a good hydration property, however, larch flour showed a bad one. PB particle had a better hydration property than larch flour. The addition of $Na_2SiO_3$ indicated a negative effect on hydration, however, $MgCl_2$ had a positive one. Curing by supercritical $CO_2$ fluid gave a conspicuous enhancement in the performances of cement-bonded particleboards compared to conventional curing. $MgCl_2$ 3%-added PB particle had the highest properties, and $MgCl_2$ 1%-added Korean pine particle had the second class with the conditions of cement/wood ratio of 2.7, a small fraction-screened particle and supercritical curing. On the contrary, the composition of non-hammermilled or large fraction-screened particle at cement/wood ratio of 2.2 was poorer. Also, the feasibility for actual use of 3%-added, small PB particle-screened fraction was greatest of all the conventional curing treatments. Relative superiority of supercritical curing vs. conventional curing at dimensional stability was not so apparent as in strength properties. Through the thermogravimetric analysis, it was ascertained that the peak of a component $CaCO_3$ was highest, and the two weak peaks of calcium silicate hydrate and ettringite and $Ca(OH)_2$ were present in supercritical treatment. Accordingly, it was inferred that the increased formation of carbonates in board contributes to strength enhancement.