Abstract
In this study, we investigated the mechanical properties and durability of particleboards made of short-rotation willow coppices: KKD clone and HB471 clone (Salix pet-susu), SEN clone (S. sachalinensis) and FXM clone (S. pseudolinearis). These four willow clones were harvested after a single year of cultivation. The mechanical properties, termite resistance, and fungal resistance of the willow particleboards were evaluated by comparison with cedar sapwood and cedar heartwood particleboards. Willow particleboards of the four clones had the same mechanical performance. They showed lower modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR), but also the same internal bonding strength (IB) and thickness swelling on water absorption (TS) compared with the cedar boards. Termite resistance of the particleboards was assessed by feeding tests with Formosan subterranean termites and Japanese subterranean termites. The SEN clone particleboard showed high mortality against the Formosan subterranean termites, but the other three clones showed low termite resistance, the same as the cedar sapwood. Fungal resistance of the particleboards was assessed by decay tests with white-rot fungus and with brown-rot fungus. All four willow particleboards showed lower fungal resistance than the cedar sapwood particleboard.
