Polystyrene/wood composites and hydrophobic wood coatings from water-based hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymers (2)

Published: 2000

Author(s):
Wang, B.
Gardner, D. J.
Caneba, G. T.
Kosonen, M. L.
Rials, T. G.

Publication Name: Clean Products and Processes

Publication URL: https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/8165

Research Area:
Keywords:

Abstract:

The combination of synthetic thermoplastic polymers and wood is normally problematic because wood surfaces are hydrophilic while typical thermoplastic polymers are hydrophobic. A possible solution is to use block copolymer coupling agents. In this work we show the use of a potentially useful synthetic method of producing hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymers as hydrophobic coatings and coupling agents in polystyrene/wood flour composites.