Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 1999

This research involves the preparation of durianwood-polyester resins composites by impregnation under reduced pressure. The effects of diluent content, initiator types, initiator content that related to viscosity and cure time of prepolymer mixtures were studied. Impregnation parameters such as the evacuating time and the soaking time were varied to serveral conditions in the preparation process. Physical and mechanical properties of impregnated samples were compared with natural durianwood. Results of this study showed that 90% by wt. of polyester resins, 10% by wt. of styrene monomer and 1 phr. benzoylperoxide were suitable for impregnating prepolymer mixture into durian matrix. The optimum preparation parameters were 1 hour evacuating time and 3 hours soaking time. Impregnated samples obtained from the optimum conditions gave significant lower water absorption, higher antishrink efficiency than natural durianwood, higher modulus of elasticity, higher flexural stress, higher compression paralledl to grain and higer density than natural durianwood