Limited data on agro residues boards for interior applications like acoustic and thermal properties necessitated generating data on sound absorption and thermal conductivity these boards. In this study, particleboards were made using rice straw, bagasse, wheat straw and coir. Efforts were made to collect above refereed agro residues to make low-density particleboards of different densities: 300, 400 & 500 kg/ m3. The particleboards manufactured were tested for sound absorption coefficient and thermal conductivity. Above refereed agro residues targeted for density 400 kg/ m3 fulfils the requirements (moisture content, modulus of rupture, swelling due to surface absorption, water absorption) of low-density particleboard standard except rice straw board in swelling due to surface absorption.
Study revealed that maximum sound absorption coefficient for all four boards were found in the frequency range of 1500 to 2500 Hz. Among four particle boards, the best sound absorption coefficient of 0.80 at frequency 3000 Hz was observed in coir particleboard with density of 300 kg/m3 and least was found in rice straw particleboard with density 500 kg/m3. Analysis of the boards showed that Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of all boards decreased with increase in density. Thermal conductivity (0.098 W/m-K) was lowest in rice straw particle board with density 300 kg/m3. Results of all four boards showed that as density increases the thermal conductivity also increases.
The complete details are available in IPIRTI Research Report No. 205 "Study on acoustic and thermal efficiency of particle boards made from agro residues” by Kiran, M. C and Co-workers.