The paper aims to compare the oriented strand boards (OSBs) made in the laboratory from a mixture of softwood species to those made from hardwood species, followed by their comparison to European and industry standards. In this regard, the main properties of the panels made in the laboratory were determined, including density, absorption, and swelling in thickness, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and internal bond. The analysis of the properties of swelling (24 h) and absorption (24 h) revealed that the mixture of softwood species was slightly better thanthe hardwood one. It was also shown that the panels manufactured from the mixture of hardwood species had better mechanical properties than those made of the softwood mixture (modulus of rupture (MOR) = 43.48 N/mm2, modulus of elasticity (MOE) = 7253 N/mm, and internal bond (IB) = 1.57 N/mm2). Additionally, the comparative analysis of properties indicates that the density is highly significant in determining the MOE values of the OSBs. This will allow softwood speciestobe replaced with other species of soft and fast-growing deciduous trees such as willow, birch, and poplar in the manufacture of oriented strand boards.

The paper aims to investigate the influence of the characteristics of the strands on the properties of oriented strand boards (OSB). To solve this objective, some global synthetic characteristics of the strands (the slenderness ratio, the characteristics of thinness, and the specific surface) of four wood species currently used in this technology (spruce and pine for softwood, and poplar and willow for hardwood) were first studied. The characteristics of the OSB obtained from each species separately were also determined, and finally the correlations analysis was made between the characteristics of the strands and those of the corresponding OSB boards. The working methodology used the European tests regarding the physical and mechanical properties of the boards, but also algorithms for forecasting and evaluating the quality of the strands and boards. The conclusions regarding the characteristics of the strands have highlighted the role of the specific surface of the strand and the characteristics of the thickness; respectively, the conclusions regarding the characteristics of the boards showed that the fast-growing species of willow and poplar lead to obtaining higher quality OSB boards. The general conclusion of the paper is that the characteristics of the strands have a significant influence on the physical–mechanical properties of the OSB board.

Energetics of low-voltage pulsed electroplasmolysis of vegetable raw materials was theoretically and experimentally substantiated for various ways of connection of the working chamber to the power source. The main electrical and technical requirements for designing and realization of the process of electroplasmolysis of cell tissues in various areas of application ensuring electrical safety during work, optimal modes of working, and efficiency are outlined.