Abstract
Poplar (Populus adenopoda Maxim.) and radiata pine (Pinus radiata Don.) woods were treated with an aqueous solution containing styrene-acrylic copolymer (SAC) dispersion and sodium silicate (SS). The modifying effects on the mechanical properties of wood were investigated with 10% SAC and varying concentrations of SS. The SAC and the SS deposition occurred in the cell lumina and condensed under catalysis at elevated temperature, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy. The wood treated with SAC and SS exhibited a moisture content about 2 times higher than that of the untreated control under 95% relative humidity due to the introduction of hygroscopic silicate. The modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) in the bending, compressive strength, surface hardness, tensile strength, and shear strength of the wood were improved up to 83.9, 82.3, 72.7, 48.3, 38.4, and 53.1%, respectively. However, the impact strength decreased by 39.4% due to the treatments. Accordingly, the combined treatment with SAC/SS has a potential application in the improvement of the wood quality, but the reduction in impact strength could limit its utilization in products for which high dynamic strength is required.
Highlights
The use of silicon compounds for wood modification has been extensively reported recently [1–6]
The moisture content (MC) at a certain relative humidity (RH) varies between poplar and radiata pine wood, the sigmoidal shape of the sorption isotherm is similar for both wood species
This study investigated the effect of the treatment with styrene-acrylic copolymer (SAC) dispersion and sodium silicate (SS) on the mechanical properties of poplar wood and radiata pine wood
Summary
The use of silicon compounds for wood modification has been extensively reported recently [1–6]. Sodium silicate (SS; known as water glass), a soluble alkaline silicate, has been most commonly used. Sodium silicate can impart wood with improved flame resistance, decay resistance, and dimensional stability [1, 7–10]. Sodium silicate is susceptible to leaching from wood during service, thereby resulting in surface contamination. Polymers based on acrylic and methacrylic esters are extensively used in adhesives to consolidate materials such as wood, brick, and stone [16]. The SAC is widely used as the binder in coatings due to its ability to facilitate the improvement of the heat, weathering, and corrosion resistance properties [4, 17, Nguyen et al J Wood Sci (2019) 65:2
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