Resins and fibers from sugarcane bagasse to produce medium-density fiberboard

Sugarcane bagasse is one of the greatest biomass residues obtained from fuel industry, and the lignin present in sugarcane fibers is rich in phenolic compounds, which can be used to replace petroleum-derived phenols in the formulation of adhesives, phenolic resins, plasticizers, paints, among others. This work presents an alternative for synthesizing and applying bio-oil based benzoxazine resins in the fabrication of “green” medium density fiberboard. In this new concept, the wood fiber is substituted by the sugarcane bagasse fiber, and the fossil-based resin is substituted by the bio-based benzoxazine resin. To produce the bio-oil resin, 200.0 g of bio-oil, 64.9 mL of formaldehyde, 39.4 mL of aniline, and 80.0 mL of butanone were added along the different process stages. Three concentrations of bio-oil resin were used to produce fiberboards, 25, 30, and 35%. The results of characterizations were compared with fiberboards made with regular urea–formaldehyde resin, in the same concentrations. Results indicated that bio-oil can be used successfully for the development of a thermosetting resin (BO-resin), as observed by thermal and spectroscopic analysis. All BO-resin MDF formulations had densities according to international standards, between 651 and 800 kg m - 3 , and reached the required thickness swelling when applied in concentration of 35% resin. The modulus of rupture (MOR) showed elevated values (around 15 MPa), similar to fiberboards made from urea–formaldehyde resins. These results indicate the promising potential of using sugarcane bagasse for the full development of novel bio-based materials with technological application.