Open Access

ARTICLE

Comparative Study on the Properties of Inorganic Silicate and Organic Phenolic Prepolymer Modified Poplar Wood by Vacuum Cycle Pressurization

by Pengfei Guan¹, Ping Li², Yiqiang Wu¹, Xingong Li¹, Guangming Yuan¹, Yingfeng Zuo^1,*

1 College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
2 College of Furniture and Art Design, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

* Corresponding Author: Yingfeng Zuo. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Bio-Composite Materials and Structures-2021)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2022, 10(9), 2451-2463. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.020459

Received 24 November 2021; Accepted 12 January 2022; Issue published 30 May 2022

Abstract

To enhance mechanical properties and improve flame retardancy and smoke suppression of fast-growing poplar wood in wood applications, the wood was impregnated and modified. An organic phenolic prepolymer and inorganic sodium silicate was used as contrasting impregnation modifiers and wood samples were impregnated by a bionic “respiration” method with alternating positive and negative pressure. The weight percentage gain, density increase ratio, mechanical properties (bending and compressive strength and hardness), and water absorption rate of inorganic and organic-impregnated modified poplar wood (IIMPW and OIMPW, respectively) were compared and these properties in IIMPW were found to be higher than those of OIMPW with the exception of the water absorption rate which was lower than the OIMPW. This was attributed to the superior absorption of sodium silicate that also improved the impregnation, reinforcement, and dimensional stability in the IIMPW. The chemical structure, crystalline structure, internal morphology, flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and thermal stability of IIMPW and OIMPW were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, CONE, and TGA. FT-IR and XRD results showed that, although IIMPW cellulose crystallinity reduced the most, more chemical bonds were come into being in IIMPW, which explained the better physical and mechanical properties of IIMPW. Compared with OIMPW, IIMPW had better flame retardant and smoke suppression performance.

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