Stabilizing parquet blocks with epoxy resin

While parquet blocks and panels from stabilized wood show much promise as finishing materials, their widespread use is limited by their low dimensional stability in variable-humidity environments. Existing solutions to stabilize the blocks have several disadvantages, including hard-to-find or toxic stabilizers. This is why this study discusses modifications of epoxy resin which has sufficient functionality for effective structuring. We analyzed the capillary-porous structure of different types of wood, and established the patterns associated with a reduction in the porosity or the specific volume of voids in pine, birch and oak. The basic characteristics of impregnating compositions indicating the high penetrative and structuring capabilities of epoxy resin have been discovered. It is shown that in addition to increasing the strength characteristics, there is a steady decline in water absorption and swelling with an increase in resin content in the wood. It has been found by the method of test fluids that curing the epoxy resin in the presence of hexamethylenediamine is accompanied by a decrease in the proportion of polar components in the total value of the surface tension. Oligomer molecules were shown to penentrate pine wood cells, providing a high moisture protection effect. The results suggest it is possible to use epoxy resin to modify parquet blocks and panels that would be used under variable humidity and high impact loads.