The effect of propylene carbonate as an accelerator on the mechanical performance and dimensional stability of composites made from wood fibre bonded with wood resin and urea formaldehyde resin was investigated. The results demonstrated that the mechanical performance of the composite fibreboard cured at a relatively low temperature (e.g., 180 °C) could be markedly enhanced by addition of propylene carbonate. Composites cured at higher temperatures (e.g., 200 °C or 220 °C) and/or in presence of propylene carbonate, exceeded the minimum physical properties specified by ANSI-AHA. The addition of 3% propylene carbonate (by weight, based on total fibre and resin content) could optimise the physical properties of the composites. The tensile stress parallel-to-the-surface and the flexural strength and stiffness of the composites increased in presence of propylene carbonate.
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