Formation and properties of nanocomposites made up from solid aspen wood, melamine-urea-formaidehyde, and clay

Wood polymer nanocomposites were prepared from solid aspen wood, water-soluble melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resin, and silicate nanoclays. The nanofillers were ground with a ball-mill before being mixed with the MUF resin and impregnated into the wood. The water-soluble prepolymer was mixed with the nanoclays at a mixing speed of 3050 rpm for 20 min to form impregnation solutions. Wood was impregnated with resin, which polymerized in situ under certain conditions. The physical and mechanical properties of the composite and the effect of ball-milling treatment of nanofillers on these properties were investiciated. Significant improvements in physical and mechanical properties, such as density, surface hardness, and modulus of elasticity, were obtained for specimens impregnated with MUF resin and nanoclay-MUF resin mixtures. Ball-mill treatment favors dispersion of the nanofillers into the wood, but also appears to interfere with particle-resin adhesion.