Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2000

Involves the preparation of para rubberwood-poly(styrene-co-butylacrylate) and poly(styrene-co-acrylamide) composites by impregnation of rubberwood with mixture of monomers. The effects of initiator types, initiator content that related to viscosity and monomer ratio were studied. Impregnation parameters such as evacuating time, soaking time were varied to various conditions in preparation processes. Physical and mechanical properties of impregnated samples were compared with those of natural para rubberwood. Results of this study showed that 2 phr. benzoyl peroxide in monomer mixture was suitable to prepare wood-polymer composites. The optimum preparation parameters were 2 hours evacuating time, and 4 hours soaking time. The rubberwood-poly(styrene-co-butylacrylate) and poly(styrene-co-acrylamide) obtained from the optimum conditions gave 18-34% of water absorption which was lower than that of natural para rubberwood. Mechanical properties such as modulus of elasticity, flexure stress, compression parallel to grain were at about 7951-10165 MPa, 115-159 MPa, 67-90 MPa, respectively, which were higher than those of natural para rubberwood