Abstract
The modification of wood and its surface is one of the challenges that is being perfected with the aim of transitioning to sustainable management. This study investigated the dynamic mechanical and thermal behaviour of unmodified and styrene modified fir wood (Abies alba Mill.). Styrene monomer was chosen and impregnated into the porous structure of fir wood by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to characterise the chemical structure, viscoelastic properties, and thermal stability of unmodified and modified (surface-modified) wood. All tests have to be regarded as being preliminary due to the small number of specimens. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed evidence of the phenyl group from styrene at 700 cm−1. DMA results showed that the modified wood caused an increase in the glass transition temperature relative to the unmodified wood. In addition, modification with styrene improves thermal stability, as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
Highlights
Hemicelluloses are heterogeneous polymers built up of several monomers, such as mannose, arabinose, xylose, galactose, and glucose. 20–30% of the dry weight of wood consists of hemicelluloses
In order to confirm the incorporation of styrene in the fir wood and its interaction, samples were subjected to analysis by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy
Testing the mechanical properties of wood with a dynamic mechanical analyser, we obtained a significantly better understanding of the organisation and properties of polymers
Summary
Wood is one of the most important renewable materials and exhibits superior properties in many cases. After filtration of the p thionyl chloride were removed by rotary evapor Fir wood (Abies alba Mill.) was chemically modified with styrene monomer. ACPC was synthesised according to the wood samples were placed under vacuum for 3 following procedure: thionyl chloride was slowly added to a cooled solution of 4,4 -azobis (4-cyanopentanoic acid) and triethylamine in dichloromethane (DCM) under nitrogen min, the initiation mixture consisting of 3.02% of atmosphere. After completion of the polymerisation, the wood samples were washed with acetone and distilled water to remove unreacted monomers and free polymer chains (Figure 2). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) i Dynamic viscoelastic properties of the modified and unmodified fir wood were measured using a Du Pont 983 Dynamic Mechanical Analyser DMA (TA Instruments, New. Cdasitlfef, eDEr,eUnSAc)eisnteirnfacecdhtoeam21i0c0 aselrieas lTtheerrmaatl iAonnalyssttchonatrtolloer.ccTeustrsarmepdlesin wo were measured at the fixed frequency of 1 Hz and temperature ranging from −50 ◦C to. Tion (FTIR-ATR) accessory (ZnSe) at room temperatu range 4000–600 cm−1 collecting four scans with a resolu
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