Cellulosic films obtained from the treatment of sugarcane bagasse fibers with N -methylmorpholine- N -oxide (NMMO)

Ethanol/water organosolv pulping was used to obtain sugarcane bagasse pulp that was bleached with sodium chlorite. This bleached pulp was used to obtain cellulosic films that were further evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A good film formation was observed when temperature of 74 °C and baths of distilled water were used, which after FTIR, TGA, and SEM analysis indicated no significant difference between the reaction times. The results showed this to be an interesting and promising process, combining the prerequisites for a more efficient utilization of agro-industrial residues.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), (CNPq), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and CEMU

Impregnation of Bombax ceiba and Bombax insigne wood with a N-methylol melamine compound

Methylated N-methylol melamine (NMM) is known for its ability to enhance physico-mechanical properties, anti-fungal ability, and hydrophobicity and was therefore used to impregnate two less used and non-durable wood species from Myanmar, Bombax ceiba and Bombax insigne. Solution uptake, weight percent gain and nitrogen content were increased by increasing melamine concentrations with B. ceiba always achieving higher values compared with B. insigne. According to the leaching results, a higher degree of condensation after curing as well as a better crosslinking of NMM could be obtained at higher temperatures. However, both curing temperatures used (90 and 120 A degrees C) resulted in almost the same amount of nitrogen fixed in the cell wall. UV microspectrophotometry confirmed the penetration of the NMM into different morphological regions of wood tissues, which was again supported by the analysis of point measurement spectra of treated and untreated specimens

Fragility behavior of melamine formaldehyde three dimensional network

International audienc

Thermodynamically “strong” and kinetically “fragile” polymeric glass exemplified by melamine formaldehyde resins

International audienc

Modification of three hardwoods with an N-methylol melamine compound and a metal-complex dye

This study evaluated the combined modification and staining of ash, beech and maple wood with a low molecular weight N-methylol melamine compound (NMM) and a metal-complex dye. Wood samples were treated with aqueous solutions of 10, 20 and 30 wt% NMM and 5 wt% of the dye. The treatment caused the fixation of the water-soluble dye by the NMM resin. Vacuum pressure impregnation of unsealed wood blocks did not result in different solution uptake and weight percent gain after curing among the three species, but sealing of the surfaces of the wood blocks to allow penetration only into one direction revealed easiest penetrability of beech followed by maple and ash. UV micro-spectrophotometry and light microscopy indicated that NMM was partly deposited in the cell wall and partly in the lumens. Penetration of the metal-complex dye was shown by means of X-ray micro-analysis (SEM-EDX). The study shows that a combined resin modification and staining of the three wood species tested is possible and that NMM causes fixation of the water-soluble dye