The effect of alkylene oxides, furan resin and vinylpyrrolidinone on wood dimensional stability

Abstract

The effect of propylene oxide, butylene oxide, furan resin, and vinylpyrrolidinone in controlling wood dimensional stability have been examined. Wood in the green or ovendry condition was treated with various chemicals using a vacuum-pressure procedure. Treated specimens were tested for tangential swelling, moisture gain, and changes in sorption hysteresis. Results indicate that propylene oxide and butylene oxide enhanced with the crosslinking agent trimethylol propane trimethacrylate, applied to ovendry wood were the most efficient chemical treatments in controlling hygroscopic dimensional changes. The sorption behavior of treated wood as depicted by the ratios of sorption was “very favorable” in most instances. In the case of treatments with furan resin, ratios of sorption were improved from 25 to 100 percent as compared to those of untreated wood.