Deterioration of wood-based boards subjected to outdoor exposure in Tsukuba
Various types of wood-based boards were analyzed for deterioration after being exposed to an outdoor environment for 5 years in Tsukuba, Japan. In phenol–formaldehyde resin bonded particleboard (PB(PF)) and aspen oriented strand board (OSB(aspen)), longer exposure caused a greater reduction in the modulus of rupture and internal bond strength, an increase in the coefficients of variation, and a decrease in 95 % lower tolerance limit at the 75 % confidence level (95TL). Nail-head pull-through and lateral nail resistance were also reduced by outdoor exposure, but their coefficients of variation and 95TL were not significantly affected. In contrast, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate bonded medium density fiberboard (MDF(MDI)) only showed a slight deterioration of these properties even after 5-year exposure, and the coefficients of variation and 95TL hardly changed. After 5-year exposure, the retention of shear load in one-plane at relative displacement of 1.0 mm was high in MDF(MDI) and OSB(aspen) at 93.5 and 78.5 %, respectively, but low in PB(PF) at 41.1 %. As with PB(PF), OSB(aspen) also showed a sharp decrease in the modulus of rupture and internal bond strength, but only slightly reduced shear load in one-plane.
Effects of water soaking and outdoor exposure on modulus of rupture and internal bond strength of particleboard
Phenol–formaldehyde resin-bonded particleboard (PF board) and isocyanate resin-bonded particleboard (MDI board) were soaked in water at 40, 70 and 100 °C, and the relationships between soaking conditions and board properties were analyzed. The relationships between the deterioration of board properties resulting from water soaking and those arising from outdoor exposure were also analyzed. At 100 °C, the modulus of rupture (MOR) and internal bond strength (IB) of the PF board decreased significantly within the first hour, and subsequently constant values were shown with increasing soaking time. This low constant value was defined as the lower limit. At 70 °C, both the MOR and IB decreased with increasing soaking time, and reached the lower limit. At 40 °C, however, neither decreased significantly with increasing soaking time and neither reached the lower limit. The MOR of the MDI board showed the same trend as the PF board. However, the IB of the MDI board showed a different trend to the PF board, that is, the lower limit of IB required extensive soaking, even at 100 °C. The MOR and IB of both the PF and MDI boards reached the lower limit when thickness change peaked. On the other hand, the MOR and IB for outdoor exposure were lower than those for water soaking, even at the same thickness change. The MOR and IB of water soaking decreased owing to the collapse of the bonding points caused by board swelling. On the other hand, the board properties of outdoor exposure decreased owing to the collapse of the bonding points, and biodegradation also added to the decrease.
Growth and Characterization of β-RDX Single-Crystal Particles
1,3,5-Trinitrohexahydro-s-triazine (RDX) single-crystal particles crystallized in the β phase have been successfully grown by sublimation–recrystallization. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction results confirm that the recrystallized products are β-RDX single crystals. Compared to the traditional solution deposition methods, the sublimation method used in this work breaks through the mass limitations during the growth of β-RDX. The distribution of α- and β-RDX on different substrates reveals that hydrophilic substrates are prone to grow β-RDX single crystals and that hydrophobic substrates prefer α-RDX single crystals. The sublimation rate dominates the growth of pure β-RDX. The mechanisms of the phase transition from β-RDX to α-RDX during the process of sublimation–recrystallization have been studied. The current results can promote the potential application of β-RDX in the propellant, explosives, and military fields.