Volatile Organic Chemicals Emissions from OSB as a Function of Processing Parameters

Abstract

Summary The effects of the oriented strand board (OSB) furnish drying temperature and moisture content on VOC emissions were evaluated and compared to those of the OSB pressing time and temperature and resin content. Results clearly showed the important role played by the drying temperature on the strand emissions. A decrease of emissions is observed when the furnish at a given original moisture content had been exposed to increasingly high temperatures. Also, the combined effect of moisture content and heating temperatures showed an increase of the detected TVOC as moisture content and the temperature increased. At a very high temperature however, the furnish at low moisture content started to degrade, and an increase in the emission level could be observed. The results showed that emissions from oriented strand board (OSB) panels were more sensitive to resin content and pressing time. The Box-Behnken statistical linear model used to treat the data revealed that a linear fitting better correlates our results. The correlation between the internal bond (IB) and the panel's emissions indicated a decrease in emissions as the quality of the board (IB) increases in agreement with better resin curing. The acquisition of more data will certainly be helpful to support this preliminary study.