Issue 22, 2023

Polylactic acid/wood-based in situ polymerized densified composite material

Abstract

To develop an advanced wood bio-composite, an economical and energy-efficient manufacturing strategy is showcased in this study. Wood slabs were delignified and impregnated with a simple modifying precursor of lactic acid oligomers. The impregnated wood samples were in situ polymerized and densified with heat and pressure, turning the wood into a functionalized densified material. The modified material was confirmed by observing the nano and micro-structure with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and performing chemical analysis using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical property such as modulus of rupture (flexural strength) was measured using an Instron universal testing machine and a water resistance study was conducted using a tensiometer to measure contact angle and surface water absorption. SEM images showed wood lumens thickened and collapsed, with a filled-in sub-structure, leading to a compact multi-layered assembly. The functionalized densified material had better surface wear resistance and excellent mechanical performance (flexural strength was approximately 150% higher than that of the original wood and surface hardness was enhanced). The water absorption rate of the functionalized densified samples reduced significantly compared to the original wood which in turn enhanced the surface water repellency. This was due to the reduction of hydrophilic groups as well as the clogging of the pores (pits) on the wood surface. Such enhanced performance makes the functionalized densified wood composite a promising candidate for advanced structural and engineering applications.

Graphical abstract: Polylactic acid/wood-based in situ polymerized densified composite material

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 ago 2023
Accepted
17 out 2023
First published
18 out 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Adv., 2023,4, 5633-5642

Polylactic acid/wood-based in situ polymerized densified composite material

A. M. Gondaliya, K. Foster and E. J. Foster, Mater. Adv., 2023, 4, 5633 DOI: 10.1039/D3MA00550J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications, without requesting further permission from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given and it is not used for commercial purposes.

To request permission to reproduce material from this article in a commercial publication, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party commercial publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements