Assessment of Physical Characteristics of Particle Board Made from Rice Husk Feedstock in the Sudan Savannah

The increasing demand for wood-based products has raised concerns over deforestation and environmental degradation. This study explores the use of rice husk and sawdust—agricultural and wood-processing residues—as sustainable alternatives for particle board production. Five board formulations were prepared in varying proportions of rice husk and sawdust, using cassava starch (15%) as a binder. The boards were fabricated at the Bayero University Kano engineering workshop using a 250mm × 250mm × 20mm mold, pressed at 2.5 MPa for 3 hours, and conditioned for 24 hours before air drying. Physical properties assessed included density, moisture content, water absorption, and thickness swelling and they were subjected to inferential statistics, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out and the means were separated using Student Newman-Keuls (SNK) test of Significant different and Regression model was also performed, using IBM SPSS 86V X 26V. Results showed that the board with 75% sawdust and 25% rice husk (T4) had the highest density and lowest water absorption, indicating superior compaction and moisture resistance. Regression analysis identified density and moisture content as significant predictors of board quality. Boards made solely from rice husk exhibited lower density and higher moisture sensitivity. The findings demonstrate that partial substitution of sawdust with rice husk can yield durable, eco-friendly boards. The study concludes that rice husk is a viable material for sustainable particle board production when optimally blended, and recommends further exploration into mechanical properties and improved bio- adhesives.