NOVEL EPOXY RESINS AND PROCESS FOR POLYMER IMPREGNATED TIMBER

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP OPTIMUM EPOXY RESIN-WOOD COMBINATIONS FOR PRESSURE IMPREGNATED TIMBER (PIT) STRUCTURES, EVALUATE VACUUM PRESSURE IMPREGNATION (VPI) METHODS, DEVELOP SUITABLE PHYSICAL TESTS, AND INITIAL DESIGN DATA CRITERIA. THE RESINS WILL BE CHEMICAL MODIFICATIONS OF EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITIONS DEVELOPED BY THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR FOR VPI OF LARGE ROTATING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. SUCH RESINS PROVIDE LONG STORAGE LIFE WITHOUT REFRIGERATION, ALLOW REASONABLE IMPREGNATION AND CURE TIMES AND YIELD PROPERTIES WITH IMPROVED STRENGTH AND ABRASION RESISTANCE, FOR USE IN PIERS AND OTHER MARINE STRUCTURES, AS COMPARED TO POLYESTER RESINS. THE ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT NEEDED TO ADAPT THESE MATERIALS FOR MAKING PIT INCLUDES OPTIMIZATION OF REACTIVE DILUENT MODIFIED, ORGANOMETALLIC-CATALYZED, BISPHENOL A AND CYCLOALIPHATIC EPOXY RESINS FOR VPI OF SELECTED WOODS, USE OF LABORATORY SCALE, VPI EQUIPMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESS CYCLES TO DRY, IMPREGNATE AND CURE THE PRODUCT AND MEASUREMENT OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PIT TO PROVIDE PRELIMINARY DESIGN GUIDANCE FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATION. A COMPARISON OF PIT AND CONVENTIONAL WOOD DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS FOR PIER CONSTRUCTION WILL BE MADE, INCLUDING MATERIALS COSTS. CONSIDERATION WILL GIVEN TO PHASE II MANUFACTURING, LIFE COST, AND FIELD TESTING WORK NEEDED TO BRING THE DEVELOPMENT TO COMMERCIAL REALITY.