Abstract
Bamboo is a natural and renewable building material but its application has been limited due to the low dimensional stability and poor durability against mold. In this study, monomers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) were impregnated in bamboo to facilitate the in situ growth of poly-HEMA and NIPAM (PHN) copolymer. Prior to that, the effects of different reaction conditions, including the molar ratio of HEMA to NIPAM and their concentrations, the amount of initiator (ammonium persulfate, APS) and crosslinking agents (N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and glutaric dialdehyde (GA)) on the swelling capacity of PHN were optimized. The formation of PHN was confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, which shows the characteristics peaks of both HEMA and NIPAM, and increased pyrolysis and glass transition temperatures, respectively. After impregnation of PHN pre-polymerization formulation to bamboo, it was observed that PHN filled most of the pits in the bamboo cell wall and formed a tight network. Moreover, the dimensional stability of PHN treated bamboo was significantly improved with an anti-swelling efficiency of 49.4% and 41.7%, respectively, after wetting–drying and soaking–drying cycles. A mold infection rate of 13.5% was observed in PHN-treated bamboo as compared to a 100% infected control group after a 30-day mold resistance test. Combined results indicate that in situ polymerization of HEMA and NIPAM in bamboo is a promising method to develop exterior used bamboo products with enhanced dimensional stability and mold resistance.
Highlights
As one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, bamboo offers a natural and sustainable alternative for various applications such as flooring, decking, wall-covering, etc. [1]
To obtain poly-HEMA and NIPAM (PHN) with a low swelling capacity, single-factor experiments were designed based on the following factors: molar ratio of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) to N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) and their concentrations, the amount of initiator (APS) and crosslinking agents (MBA and GA) as well reaction temperature (t)
PHN polymer was introduced in bamboo cells by in situ polymerization, which has significantly improved the dimension stability and mold resistance of the treated bamboo
Summary
As one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, bamboo offers a natural and sustainable alternative for various applications such as flooring, decking, wall-covering, etc. [1]. As one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, bamboo offers a natural and sustainable alternative for various applications such as flooring, decking, wall-covering, etc. Bamboo is susceptible to dimensional changes as it only consists of longitudinal fibers [2]. It is prone to mold and fungi attack because of the relatively high moisture content in initial processing stages and accumulated sugar and starch in culm [3]. A lot of efforts have been made to address these issues [4,5]. In situ polymerization has been demonstrated as one of the most effective ways to improve the dimensional stability and mold resistance of bamboo. Examples include impregnating bamboo with different treating solution, such as furfuryl
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