Mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of nano-boron nitride treated wood materials

Abstract

Thermal instability is the one of the most important disadvantages of wood since it begins to decompose at a low temperature (˃110 °C). Many scientists, past and present, have conducted studies aimed at improving the thermal stability of wood. The aim of this study was to impregnate wood with nano-sized boron nitride (NBN) to improve its thermal stability and to investigate the changes in the properties of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestrist), Ash (Fraxinus exelsior), and Iroco (Chlorophora excelsa) woods after the impregnation. The effects of the impregnation with NBN also were investigated on the heat-treated woods. The impregnation was conducted with using full-cell method in a chamber under a pressure of 0.6 MPa for 1 h. Densities at 0% and 12% moisture content (MC), mechanical properties, color changes, thermal stability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDAX) analysis were determined. The test results showed that the impregnation of wood with NBN increased generally the flexural strength and elasticity of modulus at bending, but the NBN impregnation decreased generally the compression strength except for ACI, ATWI, IC, and ICI. It was also determined that the changes in density and color were statistically different after the impregnation. According to the SEM/EDAX results, deposits of nano-sized boron nitride were found inside the cell wall and on the pits. But the deposits were also determined in inside structure of the wood with EDAX analysis. Thermal stability in T10% and T50% of wood was found to improve after the impregnation with NBN. TG/DTG and DTA values for some samples were found to fluctuate due to the heterogeneous dispersion of the NBN in the wood.