Strength arid processing properties of wet-formed hardboards from recycledcorrugated containers and commercial hardboard fibers

Recycled paper fiber recovered from our municipal solid waste stream could potentially be used in structural hardboard products. This study compares s trength properties and processing variables of wet-formed high-density hard board panels made from recycled old corrugated container (OCC) fibers and v irgin hardboard fibers using continuous pressure during drying. The results show that panels made from OCC fibers had 3 times the strength and 2 times the stiffness of panels made from virgin hardboard fibers. For commercial hardboard, panels made from OCC fibers had 2.5 and 2 times the strength of standard and tempered hardboards, respectively and for the American Nationa l Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Hardboard Association (AHA) standards , panels made from OCC had 5 and 3 times the strength of standard and tempe red hardboards, respectively. Linear expansions for OCC fiber panels were s imilar to commercial standards, but expansions of panels made from hardboar d fibers were about half those of commercial panels and panels made to ANSI /AHA standards. Mats formed with OCC fibers were slower draining, higher in initial consistency, and thinner than mats formed with hardboard fibers. T he results indicate that fibers from OCC have strong potential for use in s tructural hardboard products.