Characteristics of Particleboard Fabricated from Waste Wood Particles with Gingko Tree Leaves

This study was performed to find potentialities of the leaves of gingko tree (Gingko biloba L.) as a raw material for particleboard (PB) manufacturing. Various amounts of the leaves were mixed with wasted wood particles to manufacture PB. Physical and mechanical properties, such as density, internal bond (IB) strength, and modulus of rupture (MOR) of manufactured PB were not much different from those of the control board. Formaldehyde emission values decreased with increasing the amount of leaves. Especially, the formaldehyde emission of PB made with 5 percent of leaves was decreased to 1.31 mg/l, which is about 36% lower emission than that of the control. From these results, the leaves of gingko tree may be considered as an additive of lowering formaldehyde emission in a functional PB manufacturing process.