Particulate Reinforcement of Nanocrystalline Cellulose Modified by Silane Coupling Agent in Medium Density Fiberboard

Abstract

In this study, medium density fiberboard (MDF) prepared with urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin was reinforced by nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). The original NCC was made from Poplar fibers and modified by 3-(2-aminoethyl)-ammonia propyl methyl dimethoxy silicon (MCPS) to enhance the wetting property with UF resin. The crystal structure of surface-modified NCC was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The wetting property of NCC with UF resin was reflected by contact angles and the disperse state of the modified NCC particles in UF resin was indicated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Bending and bonding strengths of the MDF with modified NCC were determined using Chinese National Standard GB/T 17657-1999. Compared with the control group, the crystal region of NCC was affected by the MCPS limitedly, while the state of dispersion of the surface modified NCC in UF resin was uniform. The bending and bonding strengths of the MDF with 1.5% NCC modified by MCPS were increased by 51.7% and 130.8%, respectively.