Comparative Study of Water Absorption Behavior of Wood and Wood Plastic Composites of Simul Using Film Neutron Radiography

Abstract

The film neutron radiography method was adopted for a comparative study of water absorption behavior in wood and wood plastic composites (WPC) of Simul using the thermal neutron radiography facility of 3 MW TRIGA MARK-II research reactor at Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar Dhaka, Bangladesh. Variations of optical density values due to water absorption of these samples were measured from neutron radiographic images. The WPC samples were prepared with impregnating monomer methylmethacrylate (MMA) under gamma radiation in order to study their water absorption behavior. The water absorption nature of Simul wood (Salmalia mamabrarica) and its composites, with and without urea as additive, was monitored by optical density measurements. The absorption of water in wood increases continuously with time. Where as, the water absorption by wood plastic composites is less compared to virgin wood; the composites with additive urea showed less water absorption than did those of virgin wood and the composites without urea.