• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.87-94
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between the mixing ratio and water vapor sorption property of charcoal-based loess composites for furniture & building materials with environmental friendly. Charcoal-based loess composite can be easily made by blending method with water. But the composites had much brittle fracture pattern with the increase of charcoal content. That is due to the lack of loess that takes linkage role of composites. In water vapor sorption properties, adsorption ability of charcoal was about six times higher than that of loess. Therefore, vapor sorption ability was maximum at the mixture ratio of charcoal 80% and loess 20%. It is considered that wood charcoal based inorganic composite materials can be used for various purposes as a building interior & exterior and furniture members.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.426-433
• /
• 2009

This study investigates the tensile and morphological properties of nanocomposites prepared from poly(lactic acid) (PLA), wood flour (WF) and montmorillonite (MMT) by melt compounding with a twin screw extruder. In order to enhance the mechanical properties of PLA/WF composites, maleic anhydride grafted PLA (MAPLA) is synthesized as a compatibilizer. MAPLA prepared in the laboratory is characterized using FT-IR (Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy). From the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis for nanocomposites, we confirmed that silicate layers of MMT are intercalated and partially exfoliated. When 2 wt% MAPLA is added, the tensile strength and modulus of PLA/WF/MAPLA composites were higher than those of the PLA/WF composite. The addition of MMT increases the tensile modulus of PLA/WF/MAPLA composites but decreases the tensile strength.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.153-173
• /
• 2007

Wood-plastic composites (WPC) are gaining market share in the building industry because of durability/maintenance advantages of WPC over traditional wood products and because of the removal of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) pressure-treated wood from the market. In order to ensure continued market share growth, WPC manufacturers need greater focus on reliability, quality, and cost. The reliability methods outlined in this paper can be used to improve the quality of WPC and lower manufacturing costs by reducing raw material inputs and minimizing WPC waste. Statistical methods are described for analyzing stiffness (tangent modulus of elasticity: MOE) and flexural strength (modulus of rupture: MOR) test results on sampled WPC panels. Descriptive statistics, graphs, and reliability plots from these test data are presented and interpreted. Sources of variability in the MOE and MOR of WPC are suggested. The methods outlined may directly benefit WPC manufacturers through a better understanding of strength and stiffness measures, which can lead to process improvements and, ultimately, a superior WPC product with improved reliability, thereby creating greater customer satisfaction.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2011

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) are attracting a lot of interest recently. In this study, wood flour/polyethylene (PE) composites panels comprised of a coupling agent and nanoclay were prepared by melt-blending followed by compression molding. Five maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) coupling agents were tested, and the best choice and its optimum content were determined. The mechanical properties of the WPCs were measured by UTM, and the thermal properties were measured by TGA, DMA, DSC, and TMA. Adding just a small amount (1 phr) of organoclay made the tensile and flexural strength and the crystallinity of the WPC somewhat increase and the storage modulus and dimensional stability of the WPC largely increase. SEM images showed that the coupling agent drastically improved wood flour/PE interfacial bonding. Selecting the best coupling agent optimized content and adding a small amount of organoclay resulted in a high performance wood flour/PE composite.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2008

Formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from wood-based panels that have been made using wood particles, wood fiber, wood chips, formaldehyde-based resins and so on. In this study, we examined formaldehyde and total VOCs (TVOC) emission behaviors for plywood overlaid with water-soluble phenolic resin impregnated linerboard (PL), and two kinds of surface materials (decorative veneer and pre-impregnated finishing foil) that were adhered onto the PL that named DPL and PPL. EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) was used to overlay the decorative veneer and pre-impregnated finishing foil on the plywood with water-soluble phenolic resin impregnated linerboard by a hot press instrument. The debonding test and accelerated aging test were conducted to assess their mechanical properties. Formaldehyde and TVOC emission concentrations were measured using the FLEC method and a VOC Analyzer, respectively. The debonding test results of PL, DPL and PPL were 1.2, 1.5, and $0.5N/mm^2$, respectively. The surface appearance of the samples were not changed after the accelerated aging test. The PL and DPL exhibited reduced formaldehyde and TVOC emission levels, respectively. In the case of PPL, the VOC value was relatively higher than those of PL and DPL.

• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.218-222
• /
• 2011

The effect of cycled temperature change on the mechanical properties of wood flour(50 wt.% and 70 wt.%) polypropylene WPC(Wood Plastic Composites) was investigated in this study. Flexural modulus and flexural strength of the WPC showed a decrease due to the degradation of interfacial adhesion between polymer matrix and wood flour by the freeze-thaw test regardless of the cycled number. At the higher loading level of wood flour, the reduction of the flexural modulus was remarkable. After the cycled heat-freeze test, it was found that the flexural modulus and flexural strength of the WPC were lower at the high temperature ($60^{\circ}C$) and higher at the low temperature ($-20^{\circ}C$). At the low temperature ($-20^{\circ}C$) which is below glass transition temperature of polypropylene ($-10^{\circ}C$), WPC is in a glassy state which brings about the high stiffness and strength. At the high temperature ($60^{\circ}C$), the flexural modulus and flexural strength of the WPC with 50 wt.% wood flour were lower because of the increase of polymer ductility.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.37-45
• /
• 1994

The possibility of reusing the paper sludge as a raw material of composition board mixed with cement was investigated. For the measurement of physical and mechanical properties, wood coment board and sludge combinend cement boards were fabricated with the three weigh ratios of paper sludge 10 % (SI), 20 % (S II) and 30 % (S III) to cement weight. For adding the cement hardning, $CaCl_2$ was also added to each mixed paste with the ratio of 1 %, 3 % and 5 % to cement weight, respectively. Crystal formation in paper sludge-, wood-cement composites was observed by scanning electron microscope. The results were summarized as follows. 1. Density and partial compressive strength of each specimens were relatively high in the order of sludge I, sludge II, Korean pine, Italian poplar and sludge III, sludge I, Korean pine, sludge II, Italian poplar and sludge III. 2. The mechanical properties of sludge-cement boards (S I and II) were higher than that of wood-cement boards prepared with Korean pine and Italian poplar. But the mechanical properties of wood-cement boards were improved by the adding of $CaCl_2$. 3. Water absorption and thickness swelling were increased with increase of sludge content to cement weight. 4. In SEM observation, sludge-cement composites showed sufficiently formed crystals but wood-cement composites showed poorly formed crystals.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2001

Rice husk flours were analyzed by chemical composition and thermogravimetric methods in nitrogen atmosphere to discuss its feasibility as a raw material for manufacturing agricultural lignocellulosic fiber-thermoplastic polymer composite. It was revealed in the chemical composition analysis that rice husk flour was composed of moisture, 5.0%; lignin, 21.6%; holocellulose, 60.8%; ash, 12.6%. In the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermal decomposition behavior of rice husk flour from room temperature to $350^{\circ}C$ was similar to that of wood flour, but rice husk flour was more thermally stable from 350 to $800^{\circ}C$ than wood flour because of higher silica content in the rice husk flour and smaller particle size of rice husk flour. The activation energy of thermal decomposition was evaluated using Flynn & Wall expression. As the thermal decomposition proceeded in rice husk flour, the activation energy of thermal decomposition appeared almost constant up to ${\alpha}=0.25$, but thereafter increased. Activation energy of thermal decomposition in wood flour, however, decreased steeply up to ${\alpha}=0.3$, but thereafter remained almost constant. From the results, rice husk flour was thought be a substitute for wood flour in manufacturing agricultural lignocellulosic fiber-thermoplastic polymer composite in the aspect of thermal decomposition.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.42-49
• /
• 2003

The objective of this research was to investigate the possibility of using rice husk flour as a partial substitute for the wood particles used as the raw material for manufacturing particleboards, by examining the physical and mechanical properties of the rice husk flour-wood particleboard as a function of the type of urea-formaldehyde resin used. Commercial wood particles and two types of rice husk flours (A type (30 ㎛), B type (300 ㎛)) were used. E₁ and E₂ class urea-formaldehyde resin was used as the composite binder, combined with 10 wt.% NH₄Cl solution as a hardener. Rice husk flour-wood particleboards with dimensions of 27×27×0.7 (cm) were manufactured at a specific gravity of 0.7 with rice husk flour contents of 0, 5, 10, and 15 (wt.%). We examined the physical properties (specific gravity and moisture content), mechanical properties (three point bending strength and internal bonding) of the composite. In general, it can be concluded that composites made from rice husk flours are of somewhat poorer quality than those made from wood; however, blending in small amounts of rice husk flour (e.g., 5% to 10% by weight) may have no significant impact on quality.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.331-342
• /
• 2024

Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) has excellent physical and mechanical properties and is one of the most widely used species in Southeast Asia. However, it has poor resistance to subterranean termite attacks due to its high sugar and starch contents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the termite resistance of experimental wood-plastic composite (WPC) panels manufactured from rubberwood flour, polyethylene terephthalate, and silica in three different weight ratios (1/2/7, 1/3/6, and 1/4/5). The panels were exposed to Coptotermes curvignathus subterranean termites in a no-choice test under laboratory conditions based on Indonesian standards. Solid rubberwood used as control samples presented poor resistance, exhibiting 23.1% weight loss due to subterranean termite attack, as indicated by low termite mortality and high wood weight loss. In contrast, the WPC samples demonstrated extreme resistance, with weight loss ranging from 0.19% to 0.23%. Based on the findings of this study, the high termite mortality and overall low mass loss of the samples indicate that such manufactured panels could provide a high level of protection with regard to Indonesian standards.