dc.description.abstract | Castor cake meal contains 48.07% of protein and 12.28% of fiber. The high protein and fiber contents are potential to be used as particleboard raw material. This research aimed to determine the effect of pressing temperature and pressure on physical and mechanical properties of particleboard, and to obtain the optimum temperature and pressure in production of particleboard from pressing castor cake meal. This research designed by using Central Composite Design (CCD), data were analyzed by ANOVA (α = 0.05) and Response Surface Method (RSM). Temperature of 180 oC and pressure of 200 kgf/cm2 produced the best particleboard with MOR of 24.17 kgf/cm2, MOE of 2 658.56 kgf/cm2, thickness swelling of 13.33%, water absorption of 78.18% and moisture content of 5.85%. Temperature effected all tested responses, whereas pressing pressure effected only the moisture content and the water absorption of particleboard. The optimum pressing temperature and pressure based on regression model of MOR in production of particleboard from castor cake meal were 180 °C and 186 kgf/cm2. | en |