UTILIZATION OF MUNG BEAN (Vigna radiata L.

) POD IN PARTICLEBOARD
MANUFACTURING

A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of the
MINDORO STATE UNIVERSITY
Main Campus
Alcate, Victoria, Oriental Mindoro

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Degree
BACHELOR PF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING

by
JAY-M M. NUESTRO
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Particleboard is manufactured by the compression of wood particles, mixed with

a binding agent, and forming the mixture into a sheet. Particleboard raw material is any

low-cost wood species, both softwood and hardwood. The use properties of

particleboard mainly depend on the density, shape, and size of wood particles and the

amount and quality of the binding agent. Particleboard which is also known as

chipboard is a product that is engineered using wooden products such as wood chips,

sawmill shaving including the sawdust, synthetic resin, or another kind of suitable binder

that is pressed firmly to make board and sheets.

Particleboards are manufactured from wood chips because they provide a

homogeneous distribution of mechanical properties at all points of the panel (Astari et

al., 2019). Although the functional properties of particleboards are usually worse than

those of solid wood, the boards can be modified and the desired quality can be

achieved by controlling the production process (Rahman et al., 2019). According to

Mirski et al., 2020, Particleboard production can use considerably quantitates of waste

raw materials and recycled materials, which, due to their sizes and quality parameters,

cannot be used in the production of furniture, structural wood, or other materials, such

as insulation. Wastes from secondary wood processing, including the production of

furniture, solid wood packaging, and pelleting machines, can be re-used as a whole raw

material in panel production.

 Nowadays, growing concern for waste minimization led the construction industry

to consider the use of agricultural waste in the production of building materials. The

Philippines, being an agricultural country produces a considerable amount of

agricultural waste. As of 1999, the generation of 40 million metric tons of agricultural

wastes was documented by the Department of Energy (Baconguis 2008). This includes

wastes from sugarcane, coconut, corn, rice, and logs, etc. If such waste is not be

utilized, it will cover a large area of the landfill.

According to Statista Research Department, in 2020, the volume of mung

beans, locally known as “mongo”, produced in the Philippines amounted to

approximately 37 thousand metric tons, reflecting an increase from the previous year.

Overall, the production volume of mongo in the country had been increasing since 2015.

Due to the rapid increase in the production of mung beans, the amount of waste it

produces also increases more specifically the pods of the bean, hence, these are some

reasons why this study will be conducted.

Statement of the Problem

According to the Philippine Statistic Authority, the yield level of the improved

technology for mung bean production is 43% higher than that using the unimproved

technology. In this rapid growth production of mung beans, a huge amount of its pods is

produced also which has no use at all. It became garbage that is usually dumped or

burned.

The wood industry requires approximately 2 million cubic meters (m 3) based on

three-year average consumption (PWPA, 2010), but in 2019, the country produces only
1.34M m3, of which 740,000 m3 come from commercial plantations in various regions.

Other problems faced by the Philippines’ wood industry include insufficient sources of

certified seeds and quality planting materials; low field survival rate because of the

absence of management intervention after field planting; lack of interventions on the use

of wood wastes for other high-value products; and incomplete information on supply and

demand for industrial tree plantations. And due to the decreasing rate of wood

production, the production of bio-composite materials such as plywood and

particleboard are being affected.

Objectives of the Study

Generally, this research study aims to utilize the potential of mung bean pods as a

raw material for manufacturing particleboard.

Specifically, this research study aims to:

1. Manufacture particleboard from mung bean pods with different particle sizes,

2. Evaluate the physical properties of the particleboard in terms of:

2.1. Moisture content;

2.2. Water absorption; and,

2.3. Thickness swelling,

3. Evaluate the mechanical property of the particleboard in terms of modulus of rupture

or flexural strength.
 Significance of the Study

With this study which aims to utilize the potential of mung bean pods as a raw

material for manufacturing particleboard, people can be helped to lessen the problem in

the shortage of production of bio-composite materials. To help the environment to

minimize the cutting of woods.

Similarly, this study will serve as one of the references to anyone who like further

innovation and improvement in utilizing mung bean pods in particleboard manufacturing.

This can also be used in the agricultural industry which serves as a help for faster,

lesser labor agricultural production for sustainable agriculture.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study is limited to the production of particleboards from mung bean pods

with polyester resin as adhesive, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide as a hardener, and

cobalt naphthalene as an accelerator as well as the determination of the effects of

different sizes on the physical and mechanical properties of mung bean pod

particleboards. In addition, because the devices used are available, mechanical

property in this study only includes modulus of rupture. On the contrary, all the boards

were subjected up to cold compress only and does not undergo the conventional way of

hot compress.

Time and Place of the Study

 The study will be conducted from February to March 2022. The preparation of

mung bean pods and production of particleboard will be done at _______________. It

will be tested at Mindoro State University (MinSU)- Main Campus, Alcate, Victoria,

Oriental Mindoro.