Effect of durability treatment on moisture sorption properties of wood-plastic composites

Abstract

In this study, water absorption and desorption behaviors of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) treated with ultraviolet agents and zinc borate were investigated. Water diffusion characteristics in the composites were analyzed using a one-dimensional diffusion model. The mechanism of water sorption for all composites deviated from Fick's law of diffusion. Much larger diffusion coefficient values are observed from the desorption process when compared to the absorption process. Measured final equilibrium moisture content and calculated diffusion coefficients varied with sample formulation in a non-consistent manner; this indicated that the durability treatment used in the current study did not negatively affect the water sorption behavior of WPCs. The results of this study help to clarify the effect of durability treatment on the dynamic moisture sorption process of WPCs.