Analysis of the effect of incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles on the physical and mechanical properties of MDF panels

Abstract

MDF panels can undergo dimensional changes, compromising their performance. One way to improve the performance of the panel is to incorporate nanoparticles. This study analysed the effect of using zinc oxide nanoparticles at different levels (0%, 0.5% and 1.0%) in MDF panels manufactured with urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) and Eucalyptus grandis fibres. It also evaluated the use of regression models to estimate physical and mechanical properties as a function of the adhesive used and the content of incorporated ZnO. Treatments using MF resin presented a better performance than treatments using UF adhesive. The optimal content of nanoparticles addition was 0.5%. The 1.0% content led to an increase in moisture content, swelling and a decrease in MOR and MOE values, possibly caused by an accelerated curing and overheating of the outer layers, affecting the curing of the inner layers. The most accurate model was the bulk density estimator, with resin, ZnO and interaction factors being the most significant.