Abstract:
This research involves the preparation of para rubberwood-epoxy resins composites by impregnation para rubberwood with epoxy resin mixture under reduced pressure. The effect of diluent type, diluent content, hardener content related to the viscosity and cure time of prepolymer mixture were studied. Impregnation condition conditions such as soaking times, evacuating time, evacuating pressure were varied to various conditions in the preparation process. Dimensional stability and mechanical properties of impregnated samples were compared with natural para rubberwood. Results of this study showed that 30 phr reactive diluent and 27 phr hardener content were suitable for impregnating prepolymer mixture into para rubberwood matrix. The optimum preparation conditions were 1 hour soaking time, 2 hours evacuating times and 500 mmHg evacuating pressure. Para rubberwood-epoxy composities obtained form these conditions gave significant lower water absorption, higher antishrink efficiency than natural para rubberwood. Modulus of elasticity, flexure stress, compression parallel to grain were improved and specific gravity was higher than natural para rubberwood
