Characterisation of the curing of liquefied wood by rheometry, DEA and DSC

Liquefied wood is a naturally based product which has the potential to be used as an adhesive. The bonding of wood with liquefied wood requires a high enough temperature to cure the liquid polymers and achieve bond strength. Dielectric analysis, rheometry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to analyse the curing process of low solvent liquefied wood. For the liquefaction, ethylene glycol was used as a solvent and sulphuric acid was used as a catalyst. The dielectric analysis was used for in situ measurements of the curing of liquefied wood during the bonding of wood. It was found that curing started after a temperature of 100 A degrees C had been reached in the bond. This is correlated with the water evaporation and the diffusion of water and ethylene glycol from the liquefied wood into the wood substrate. Rheological measurements proved the influence of the substrate on the curing of the liquefied wood during bonding. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the curing of liquefied wood occurs in two parts: first, the initial elimination of water and ethylene glycol from the liquefied wood, and then the chemical reaction of the liquefied wood at higher temperatures.