Study on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Paulownia Wood Impregnated With Nanosilver and Nanocopper

Present research was conducted to investigate the effects of nanosilver and Nanocopper on physical (Water Absorption and Dimension Swelling) and mechanical properties (MOE، MOR، Compression strength parallel to the grain and Hardness) of Paulownia fortunei. Specimens were impregnated with Empty-cell method with a 400 ppm aqueous suspension of nanosilver and nanocopper، size range from 10 to 80 nm، in a pressure vessel at 2. 5 bar for 30 minutes. Results showed that modulus of rupture (MOR)، modulus of elasticity (MOE)، and compression strength parallel to the grain were significantly increased in impregnated samples and the most increased was showed in impregnated samples with Nanocopper. In mechanical properties، there was no significant difference in hardness between impregnated and control samples. Results shown that impregnated wood with Nanosilver and Nanocopper have positive significantly effect to decrease dimension swelling and water absorption in specimens. Cluster analysis on physical and mechanical properties showed that impregnated samples with nano-copper clustered differently. However، impregnated samples with nano-silver had improved some of the physical and mechanical properties of wood but they didn’t have significant difference in comparison control specimens.