AbstractFast-growing wood is an abundant and low-cost material and is widely used for structural building and furniture construction. However, inferior mechanical properties and dimensional instability limit its application in advanced engineering structures. Herein, we developed a simple, effective and “green” method to transform bulk poplar into a high-performance wood composite. The wood composite was prepared by the impregnation of the itaconic acid (IA) solution acting as a grafting anchor into the wood matrix, followed by in situ polymerization of styrene upon heating to form a hydrophobic polymer within the wood scaffold. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) was deposited in wood cell walls and lumens, leading to a reduced water uptake and remarkably enhanced dimensional stability, as well as generally improved mechanical properties. In addition, the PS generated improvement in the thermal stability of the wood composite in comparison with that of natural wood (W).
An effective technique for constructing wood composite with superior dimensional stability
