Rice husk (RH) is an abundant and inexpensive agricultural residue in most parts of the world where wood resources are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the moisture resistance and mechanical properties of the inexpensive, but brittle, urea-formaldehyde (UF) thermoset resin reinforced with unmodified and chemically modified RH. Chemical modifications were designed to modify the interface properties and to determine how thick an interface is required to modify the interface to enhance moisture resistance and toughness. In order to answer these questions we used a type of �controlled radical polymerization� (Atom transfer radical polymerization, ATRP) that allowed us to test the effect of using a hydrophobic interface for moisture resistance �topped� by a polar monomer to adhere to the UF resin. The RH was modified by polymerizing specific numbers of Methyl Methacrylate monomers (giving PMMA), and Acrylonitrile monomers (giving PAN), for the following grafted RH modifications: RH-g-PMMA (for moisture only) and RH-g-PMMA-g-PAN (for moisture and toughness). The interface modifications were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS), and Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). UF-grafted RH composites were prepared with (66.6 %) UF and (33.3 %) RH, mechanical and moisture properties were measured.

Comparing the effect of chemically modified rice husk reinforcement on properties of urea formaldehyde composites

246th National Meeting (2013)

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