Nano-Silica/Urea-Formaldehyde Resin-Modified Fast-Growing Lumber Performance Study

Abstract

To promote the performance of fast-growing poplar wood for furniture applications, this study proposes and investigates the feasibility of modifying fast-growing poplar wood with a urea-formaldehyde resin impregnating agent by adding nano-SiO2 as a way to improve its physical and mechanical properties. By observing the solubility of nano-SiO2 addition in urea-formaldehyde resin, determine the optimal ratio of nano-SiO2 addition to the solid content of the urea-formaldehyde resin solution. After the fast-growing poplar specimens were treated with nano-SiO2/UF resin, the water absorption, wet swelling, dry shrinkage, nail grip, flexural strength, and modulus of flexural elasticity of the fast-growing poplar specimens were compared and analyzed to determine the effect of impregnation modification and the optimal impregnation ratio. The results showed that the physical and mechanical properties of fast-growing poplar wood were significantly improved by impregnating the fast-growing poplar wood with urea-formaldehyde resin with SiO2, and the impregnation modification was beneficial to reducing the wet swelling and dry shrinkage of poplar wood, increasing its dimensional stability, improve the grip nail strength, and increase the flexural strength and flexural modulus of elasticity with the increase in nano-SiO2 concentration.