Abstract
Abstract Thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) treatments can be used to improve certain properties of underutilized wood species, especially those with low densities. These treatments densify the wood by softening the cell walls using heat, pressure, and moisture but are subject to set-recovery (recovery of compressive deformation) when exposed to humidity. Phenol-based resins have been successful in mitigating this issue when impregnated into the wood. This work explores the use of a new phenol-based resin combined with a THM treatment to limit set-recovery and produce products with the potential for flooring applications. Scratch resistance, hardness, and glue-line shear strength were used to assess the performance. The THM treatment and impregnated phenol resin used in this study increased the scratch resistance, density, and hardness of natural poplar wood and created satisfactory bonding conditions for flooring purposes. With optimization of THM parameters and resin solids content, the resulting product could provide a high-quality flooring material used alone or as a thin laminate from a low-density species like poplar.
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