Treated Cellulosic Material Using Polyol Composite
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern preservation methods for cellulosic materials like wood face challenges in maintaining dimensional stability and resistance to water, insects, and fungi due to non-uniform water absorption and evaporation, leading to internal stresses and degradation.
Innovation Solution
A treated cellulosic material is created by impregnating wood or wood composite materials with a combination of a water-soluble polyol polymer and a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol modifying agent, using a two-step treatment protocol to enhance hydrophobicity, dimensional stability, and resistance to fungi and insects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If wood is treated with a water-soluble polyol polymer to improve water resistance and dimensional stability, then the water absorption rate decreases, but the polyol may be extracted by water over time reducing long-term durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a water-soluble polyol polymer with a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol modifying agent to create a composite treating agent. The water-soluble polyol provides initial water resistance and dimensional stability improvement, while the hydrophobic modifying agent forms a protective coating that prevents extraction of the polyol by water, thereby ensuring long-term durability. This composite approach allows both immediate performance benefits and long-term reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol modifying agent acts as an intermediary between the water-soluble polyol polymer and the wood substrate. It forms a protective coating layer that mediates the interaction between water and the polyol, preventing extraction while allowing the polyol to maintain its water-resistant properties. This intermediary layer enables the water-soluble polyol to provide immediate dimensional stability without compromising long-term durability.
2Quantity of substance
If pressure treatment is used to impregnate treating agent throughout the porous structure, then penetration depth increases, but the non-uniform water absorption creates internal stresses causing splitting and warping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the treating agent by combining a water-soluble polyol polymer with a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol modifying agent. This parameter change allows the treating agent to penetrate uniformly throughout the porous structure while the hydrophobic component forms a protective coating that prevents non-uniform water absorption, thereby eliminating internal stresses and preventing splitting and warping.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If water absorption is increased to improve biological resistance, then fungus and insect resistance improves, but water absorption causes swelling and shrinkage leading to internal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of water absorption (which causes swelling, shrinkage, and internal stresses) into a benefit by using the water-soluble polyol polymer to provide water resistance. The hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol modifying agent then prevents excessive water absorption while maintaining biological resistance properties, effectively converting the harmful water absorption process into a controlled protective mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces water absorption rates, thereby minimizing internal stresses and enhancing dimensional stability, while providing improved resistance to fungi and insects, as demonstrated by the water immersion test results showing high water-repellency efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Pressure treatment typically allows the treating agent to penetrate throughout the porous structure of the cellulosic material
Implementation Method 2
Modern preservation methods typically involve pressure treating the cellulosic material with a treating agent
Implementation Method 3
a modifying agent comprising a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol
Implementation Method 4
Wood is capable of absorbing as much as 100% of its weight in water which causes the wood to swell
Implementation Method 5
after loss of water through evaporation causes the wood to shrink
Data Source
AI summary
A treated cellulosic material comprising: a cellulosic material having a porous structure defining a plurality of pores, the cellulosic material comprising wood including wood or wood composite materials, at least a portion of the pores containing a treating agent comprising: a polymer comprising a water soluble polyol; and a modifying agent comprising a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol. A method for preparing a treated cellulosic material comprising: providing a cellulosic material; a first treatment protocol comprising impregnating the cellulosic material with a polymer, the polymer comprising a water-soluble polyol; and a second treatment protocol comprising impregnating the cellulosic material with a modifying agent, the modifying agent comprising a hydrophobic polyalkylene polyol.