Chemical composition, particle geometry, and micro-mechanical strength of barley husks, oat husks, and wheat bran as alternative raw materials for particleboards

Sep 17, 2026

Particleboards rely on wood raw materials, but rising wood prices and logistics pressures drive interest in agricultural by-products as local feedstocks. This study analyzes the chemical composition, particle geometry, anatomical structure, and microtensile performance of barley husks (BH), oat husks (OH), and wheat bran (WB). BH and OH show hemicelluloses and lignin comparable to industrial wood chips, with higher ash, while WB is extractive-rich and buffers effectively. Microscopy and microcomputed tomography reveal BH and OH leaf structure and WB multi-layer structure, yielding ultimate microtensile strengths of 2.77 GPa (BH), 0.84–2.42 GPa (OH), and 1.45 GPa (WB).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Alternative raw materials for particleboards

Agricultural residues and their properties

Rationale for studying barley husks, oat husks, and wheat bran

Materials Today Communications 36 (2023) 106602 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Materials Today Communications journal [homepage:](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mtcomm)[ www.elsevier.com/locate/mtcomm](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mtcomm) | Chemical composition, particle geometry, and micro-mechanical strength of barley husks, oat husks, and wheat bran as alternative raw materials for particleboards
Nicolas Neitzela, Michaela Eder b, Reza Hosseinpourpiaa, c, Thomas Waltherd, Stergios Adamopoulose, *
a Linnaeus University, Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, V¨axj¨o 35195, Sweden
b Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Research Campus Golm, Potsdam 14424, Germany c College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, United States d IKEA Industry AB, Skrivaregatan 5, Malm¨o 21532, Sweden
e Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden | | | | --- | --- | --- | | A R T I C L E I N F O | | A B S T R A C T | | Keywords:
Agro-industry residues Chemical composition Particle geometry SEM
X-ray microcomputed tomography Microtensile strength | | Particleboards are used worldwide in various industry segments, like construction and furniture production. Nevertheless, increase in wood prices and logistical challenges urge the particleboard industry to find alternative raw materials. By-products and residues from the agricultural and food industries could offer possibilities for material sourcing at a local level. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, particle geometry, anatomical structure, and microtensile characteristics of such material, specifically barley husks (BH), oat husks (OH), and wheat bran (WB). BH and OH were found to have comparable hemicelluloses and lignin contents to industrial wood chips but contained more ash. WB was rich in extractives and showed high buffering capacity. Light microscopy and microcomputed tomography revealed details of leaf structure for BH and OH as well as the multi-layer structure of WB. The ultimate microtensile strength of BH, various OH samples, and WB were respectively 2.77 GPa, 0.84–2.42 GPa, and 1.45 GPa. The results indicated that the studied materials could have potential uses as furnish materials in non-load bearing particleboards, where thermal or acoustic insulation properties are desirable. | 1. Introduction Wood composites are important materials for construction, shipbuilding, design elements, furniture production, and other sectors. During the last two decades, the global production volume of particleboards, which represents a major product segment of this sector, has increased by 70%[20,59]. This indicates the escalated pressure on the forest as the main supplier of raw materials. According to the European Union Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, biodiversity, the quantity and quality of forests, and their protection are integral parts of current global and regional policies [38]. These factors, along with the increasing prices of wood and logistic challenges, have forced the particleboard industry to find alternative raw materials. Many alternative raw materials, including kenaf, flax, hemp, miscanthus, vine pruning, canola stalks, sorghum, rice stalks, and wheat stalks, have previously been employed for manufacturing particleboards [24,29,42,52,56]. Some lignocellulosic materials can be cultivated for this purpose, such as kenaf and miscanthus; others are derived as residues during crop harvesting, for example, canola and wheat stalks. Although 5.9 million tons of stalk residues alone were produced worldwide in 2018 [20,59], their availability is strongly affected by seasonal cultivation and local conditions. In addition, the influence of prolonged storage on the properties of many suc

FAQs

Why is the particleboard industry seeking alternative raw materials?

Rising wood prices and logistical challenges increase pressure on conventional wood supply, motivating exploration of locally sourced agricultural by-products.

Which materials were investigated in the study?

The study focuses on barley husks (BH), oat husks (OH), and wheat bran (WB) as potential alternative feedstocks for particleboards.

What microtensile strengths were reported for BH, OH, and WB?

Ultimate microtensile strength values were 2.77 GPa for BH, 0.84–2.42 GPa for OH, and 1.45 GPa for WB.

Sep 17, 2026

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