Role of additives in wood-polymer composites. Relationship to analogous radiation grafting and curing processes

Wood polymer composites (WPC) were prepared by impregnating an Australian s oftwood, Pinus radiata with methyl methacrylate which subsequently underwen t in situ polymerisation utilising either gamma radiation or the catalyst-a ccelerator method. Novel additives including thermal initiator, crosslinkin g agents, an inclusion compound and oxygen scavenger were incorporated to i mprove the polymer loading and properties of the resulting WPC. Polymer loa dings of WPC obtained utilising the accelerator-catalyst method corresponde d well with those obtained using gamma radiation with 20 kGy radiation dose . The mechanistic significance of the current work in analogous radiation g rafting and curing processes is discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. A ll rights reserved.