Impact of DMDHEU Resin Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Poplar

Impact of DMDHEU Resin Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of

Poplar
Tao Jiang1, Hua Gao2, Jianping Sun1, Yanjun Xie3, and Xiurong Li1
1
College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning city, Guangxi province 530005, P.R. China
2
Information engineering college, Guizhou minzu University, Guiyang 550025, P.R. China
3
Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology (Ministry of Education), Northeast Forestry University,
Harbin 150040, P.R. China
Received: 16 March 2014, Accepted: 30 April 2014

Summary
To increase the utilization and the value of poplar, various concentrations of dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea
(DMDHEU) were used to impregnate poplar, an important tree specie from the north of China. The resin was fixed
on the timber under certain conditions, after which the weight percent gain (WPG), flexural modulus (MOR),
modulus of elasticity (MOE), impact strength, hardness and compressive strength of the poplar impregnated were
tested and evaluated. The results showed that WPG of poplar is positively associated with the concentrations of
DMDHEU after the resin treatment; when the WPG of poplar was 62.1% and the concentration of resin was 30%,
the concentration of resin shows positive correlation with MOE, the hardness of each section, the compression
strength perpendicular to grain, and the compressive strength parallel to the grain, but demonstrates negative
correlation with MOR and impact strength.

Keywords: DMDHEU; Poplar; Mechanical properties; Bending modulus

1. Introduction
Poplar (Populus) is an important
fast-growing tree species, which
achieves large-scale cultivation in
the north, so that accumulated a huge
amount of timber resources. However,
the applications range of poplar is
restricted for its loose fiber structure
and relatively poor material quality1.
This article tries to explore the impact
of DMDHEU resin treatment on the
mechanical properties of poplar.
Dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea
(DMDHEU) is a representative
resin of the nitrogen hydroxymethyl
compound. DMDHEU resin has
displaced formaldehyde in cotton
fiber textile industry because of its
better properties in low formaldehyde
emission, and the anti-wrinkle and
anti-shrink rate of cotton fiber after the
treatment by DMDHEU resin.
Corresponding Author: Sun Jianping, email: sjp_jpcn@163.com
©
Smithers Information Ltd., 2014
In 1987, Nicholas, etc. 2 used
DMDHEU resin to improve the
dimensional stability of wood;
Videlov3, and Ritschkoff4 investigated
the preservative properties of the wood
treated by DMDHEU resin; Xie Y. et
al.5,6 presented the effects of DMDHEU
resin on the aging properties,
furnishing, gluing properties of wood.
Yasuda etc.7 studied the dimensional
stability, acoustic properties, and
modulus of elasticity of the timber
treated by DMDHEU resin. Xie
Y. et al.8 studied the influence of
DMDHEU resin treatment on tensile
properties of wood with MgCl2 as a
catalyst. Zhang B. et al.9-11 mentioned
DMDHEU resin modified wood when
he introduced overseas progress of
modification of timber; Xie Y.12 also
referred to the use of DMDHEU resin
modified wood when he described
the functional improvement of wood.
The primary reaction process between
DMAHEU resin and wood is that the
hydroxyl group of wood dehydration
forms hydroxyl ether, followed
by a crosslinked compound. The
crosslinking mechanism is shown in
Figure 1.
2. Materials and
methods
2.1 Test Materials
Poplar wood: bought from Harbin timber
market, wooden size 1000 mm × 30 mm
× 30 mm, placed in a cool ventilated
place until the moisture content is stable
(around 12%), and sawing mechanical
experiments specimens based on
national testing standards for wood
mechanical properties.
DMDHEU resin: provided by
Lanxiang Resin Co., Ltd. in Zhongshan
City, Guangdong Province, with solid
content of about 40%, a density of
about 1.02 g/ml, and infinite dilution
with water. Proportions of the solution
herein refer to the mass percent.

Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 22, No. 8, 2014 669

 Tao Jiang, Hua Gao, Jianping Sun1, Yanjun Xie, and Xiurong Li
Figure 1. Crosslinking reaction between DMDHEU and hydroxyl groups of wood
MgCl26H2O: white crystals, analytical
grade, purity of 98%, Tianjin Hengxing
Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.
2.2 Test Equipment
AG-10T universal mechanical testing
machine (Shimadzu Corporation);
MV-4 pendulum impact testing
machine (Jinan material testing
machine factory); Vacuum pressure
tank (Harbin Boiler Factory, working
pressure 2.23 MPa).
2.3 Test Methods
The aqueous solutions with a
concentration of 0, 10%, 20% and
30% were prepared by DMDHEU
solutions with solid content of 40%,
then the catalyst MgCl2 were added to
the solution with mass ratio at 1.5%.
In the vacuum pressure tank, oven-dry
and weighed poplar samples were
immersed in the resin solution, after
which the specimens were removed
when the poplar absorbed solution to
the saturated state. Wipe the fluid on the
surface with a towel and air-dried in a
cool ventilated place, and then drying
polymerization at the environment
temperature of 120 °C, after which
the sample is put in a desiccator when
dried. When the sample is cooled to
room temperature, it is weighed. At that
time the weight gain rate (WPG) can
be calculated according to the Equation
(1). Place the sample in air, and then
test the flexural modulus, the elastic
modulus, impact strength, hardness and
compressive strength of the specimen
when the equilibrium moisture content
of wood is 12%.
WPG = (G1-G0) / G0 × 100% (1)
670
Where: G0-oven dry weight of sample
before immersion;
G1- oven-dry weight of sample
after immersion.
3. Results and
Discussion
3.1 Weight Gain of DMDHEU
Resin Treated Poplar
Weight gain is used to evaluate the
amount of resin immersion. The
level of weight gain of the treated
wood may affect density, size and
other physical properties. Only
when resin treated timber obtains
a certain weight gain does the
treatment make sense. Figure 2 is
the weight percent grain of poplar
treated with different concentrations
of DMDHEU resin. As can be seen
from the figure, with the increasing
of the resin concentration (10%, 20%,
30%), WPG of poplar significantly
increased (27.3%, 56.4%, 62.1%),
when the resin concentration from
10% to 20%, WPG was significantly
greater than that from 20% to 30%.
In addition, WPG of untreated timber
slightly reduces.
Figure 2. The WPG of DMDHEU treated Poplar wood
Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 22, No. 8, 2014
Figure 2 shows when the wood was
immersed in the resin solution, under
pressure from the outside world, the
resin quickly spread into the internal
timber, accumulated in the timber cells
chamber and the cell gap, and part of
the small molecule resin penetrated into
the cell wall of the wood. Under the
action of high temperature and catalyst,
the resin in cell walls and the hydroxyl
groups of timber reacted and formed a
crosslinking compound; intermolecular
condensation might happen to resin
itself, thereby fixed in the internal
timber. When the resin concentration is
high (30%), the viscosity of the solution
is the same, which is not conducive to
the spread of the resin in the timber. That
may affect the amount of resin immersed
into the cell wall, which account for the
reason why it is not obvious that the
increase of WPG treated by resin with
the concentration of 30% is small in
comparison with that of 20%. Further
study is still needed about the changes of
WPG with even higher concentrations.
In addition, when the resin concentration
is 0, i.e. the timber is immersed in an
aqueous solution, some water-soluble
extract in the timber is dissolved, which
may be the cause for the slightly lower
WPG of timber.
 Impact of DMDHEU Resin Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Poplar

3.2 Bending Modulus and toughness is to examine damage As can be seen from Figure 4, treated
Elasticity Modulus of resistance of test materials under with different concentrations of
DMDHEU Resin Treated impact loading. Figure 4 shows the DMDHEU resin, the impact strength
Poplar impact strength of poplar treated with of poplar wood decreased with the
different concentrations of DMDHEU increasing of resin concentration.
Flexural modulus, also known as resin. The impact strength of poplar is
static bending ultimate strength, is the
withstanding ability of wood to lateral
loads. Modulus of elasticity reflects Figure 3. The MOR and MOE of DMDHEU treated Poplar wood
the stiffness or elasticity of wood.
When wood sustains loads, with larger
bending elastic modulus and stiffness
of the wood, the wood is not vulnerable
to warping., otherwise, it is easy to
deform. Figure 3 is bending modulus
and modulus of elasticity of poplar
treated with different concentrations
DMDHEU resin. It can be seen from
Figure 3a that in comparison with
untreated poplar timber, MOR after the
DMDHEU resin treatment decreased
from 81.5 MPa to 62.6 MPa (10%),
67.7 MPa (20%) and 64.93 MPa
(30%), a decrease of 23.2%, 16.9%
and 20.3% respectively. In Figure 3b,
compared with untreated wood, MOE
of DMDHEU resin treated poplar
raised from 6.5 GPa to 7.7 GPa (10%),
9.6 GPa (20%) and 9.0 GPa (30%), an
increase of 18.4%, 46.6% and 38%
respectively.

In Figure 3, after DMDHEU resin

treatment, MOR of poplar showed a
decreasing trend with a rising trend
of MOE, i.e. decreasing elasticity
and increasing rigidity. This may be
due to DMDHEU resins immerse
into the wood cell walls, then the cell
walls inflated, and resins crosslink Figure 4. Impact strength of poplar wood treated with different concentration
with microfibrils in the timber, so that DMDHEU
free movement of the micro-fibrils is
limited, with the results of decreasing
MOR and increasing MOE.

3.3 Impact Strength of

DMDHEU Resin Treated
Poplar
Impact strength, also known as impact
toughness, is the energy absorbed by
sample per unit area while test material
is subject to impact loading resulting
damage in a very short period of time.
The purpose of testing the impact

Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 22, No. 8, 2014 671

 Tao Jiang, Hua Gao, Jianping Sun1, Yanjun Xie, and Xiurong Li
20.34 KJ/m, 21.24 KJ/m and 17.2 KJ/m
while dipping by DMDHEU resin
with concentration of 10%, 20% and
30%, compared with untreated timber
26.33 KJ/m, a decrease of 22.75%,
19.33% and 34.67% respectively.
Decreasing impact strength of test
materials indicates the brittleness is
improved, so that the treated wood
is not suitable for application to the
impact strength higher position. In
previous reports7, decreasing impact
properties of DMDHEU modified
wood have been attributed to the rigid
network structure made by crosslinking
reaction between wood cell wall
components and DMDHEU. When
the test materials are subject to the
impact load, because molecules and
fibers cannot move easily, the impact
strength reduces. In addition, the
presence of magnesium chloride may
cause accelerated hydrolysis of wood,
thus affecting the impact performance
of timber.
3.4 Hardness of DMDHEU
Resin Treated Poplar
The hardness of wood is the capability
of timber body resistant to other
rigid object. Figure 5 is the three
section hardness of poplar treated
with DMDHEU resin of different
concentrations.
As can be seen from Figure 5, the cross-
sectional hardness of the treated wood
and untreated wood is much larger than
other two, and there is little difference
between hardness in radial section and
tangential section of untreated wood;
treated with different concentrations of
DMDHEU resin, hardness in different
sections of test materials is significantly
bigger than that in untreated wood, and
the hardness of radial section is slightly
bigger than tangential section.
Changing of DMDHEU concentration
does not affect the hardness of
the wood. Treated by resin with
concentration of 10%, 20% and 30%,
hardness in tangential section of test
672
Figure 5. Hardness of three section of poplar treated by DMDHEU with different
concentration
materials were 1406.4 N, 1558.6 N
and 1407.4N, respectively. Compared
with 953.0N in untreated material, the
increase of hardness is 47.6%, 63.5%,
and 47.7%; the hardness of radial
section was 1535.7 N, 1637.2 N and
1551.9N, respectively. Compared with
untreated material 916.5N, the rise is
67.6%, 82.6% and 69.3%; the hardness
of cross-sectional was 4371.0 N,
4490.4 N and 4452.4N. Compared with
untreated material 2446.0N, the rise is
78.7 %, 83.6% and 82.0%.
Hardness of the wood is related to
its species, density, and texture etc.
Figure 2 shows the WPG of treated
wood is at 27.3% ~ 62.1% s. The resin
immersed in the cell wall and deposited
in chamber and other locations leads to
the increased density of treated wood.
Treated wood inflates and becomes
hard, so that it cannot be compressed
and crushed easily. In cross-section of
test wood treated by DMDHEU, the
cell wall becomes dense (wood density
increase), and the pressure is consistent
with fiber arrangement direction, thus
greater pressure is required, and the
transverse direction is much larger
than the longitudinal.
3.5 Compressive Strength
of DMDHEU Resin Treated
Poplar
Compressive strength parallel to grain
and perpendicular to grain of wood are
collectively known as compressive
Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 22, No. 8, 2014
strength. Figure 6 shows compressive
strength parallel to grain (cross-section,
Figure 6a and perpendicular to grain
(tangential section and radial section,
Figure 6b of poplar treated with
different concentrations DMDHEU
resin.
From Figure 6a, it can be seen that
compressive strength parallel to grain
of test materials treated by DMDHEU
resin increases with the rise of resin
concentration. With 10%, 20% and
30% resin treatment, the compressive
strength parallel to grain of test
materials is 75.1 MPa, 86.5 MPa and
91.0 MPa. Compared with 47.5 MPa
of the untreated wood, the increase is
57.8%, 81.8% and 91.4%, respectively.
It can be seen from Figure 6b that the
compressive strength perpendicular to
grain of test materials increases with the
increasing of the resin concentration;
radial compressive strength is higher
or similar to tangential. After treated
by resin with concentration of
10%, 20% and 30%, the tangential
compressive strength parallel to
grain of poplar is 5.2 MPa, 6.0 MPa
and 5.8 MPa, 4.3 MPa, respectively,
compared to untreated materials rose
by 19.8%, 28.3% and 33.2%; the
radial compressive strength parallel to
grain of poplar is 5.7 MPa, 6.0 MPa
and 6.3 MPa, 4.9 MPa respectively,
compared with 16.2%, 22.2% and
28.4% of the untreated timber.
Increasing compressive strength of
 Impact of DMDHEU Resin Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Poplar
Figure 6. Compression strength parallel and perpendicular to grain of poplar
wood treated with DMDHEU solution
test materials may be associated with
DMDHEU resin impregnated test
material.
The resin is deposited on the wood cell
lumen, coated on the walls around the
microfibrils, and formed physical or
chemical binding with wood, so that
the relative freedom of microfibrils
decreases, and rigidity increase, which
improves the strength of the cell wall,
finally the ability resistant to external
pressures of tested materials enhances.
4. CONCLUSIONS
Using a treatment of impregnated
poplar by different concentrations
of DMDHEU resin, the poplar resin
can enter the cell lumen and cell
walls, and fix on poplar cell wall at
high temperature, improving some
mechanical properties of poplar and,
in consequence, expanding the scope
Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 22, No. 8, 2014
and utilization value of poplar. Effects
of DMDHEU resin treatment on the
mechanical properties of poplar can
be summarized as follows:
1. As treated by DMDHEU resin,
weight gain percent of poplar
increases with the increasing
concentration of the resin, weight
gain of poplar treated by 30% resin
is 62.1%, the increase in weight
enhances the density of the poplar;
2. As treated by DMDHEU resin,
MOR of poplar shows a decreasing
trend, and MOE shows a rising
trend, namely, elasticity of poplar
decreases and rigidity increases
after treatment;
3. After DMDHEU resin treatment,
impact strength of poplar decreases,
namely, brittleness increases; the
hardness of each section, and the
compressive strength parallel to the
grain and perpendicular to grain
enhance.
Acknowledgements
Project Sponsored by the Scientific
Research Foundation of Guangxi
University (Grant No.XBZ120677).
The support funding of University
Research Projects of Guangxi (the
method of high-intensity microwave
cell-blasting to improve the permeability
of eucalyptus wood key technology
research) is also acknowledged.
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