EFFECTS OF POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE ON PROPERTIES OF MANAU AND DOK CANES

Abstract

Manau (Calamus manan) and dok (C. ornatus) canes from three different diameter ranges, namely, 25 to 29 mm, 30 to 34 mm and 35 to 39 mm were impregnated with polymethyl methacrylate solution at 20% concentration. Impregnation process was conducted by applying pressure of 20 and 35 min including
5 min vacuum. The pressure and vacuum used were 9 kg cm–3 and 700 mmHg
respectively. One set from 35 min impregnated samples were oven dried for a further one week to produce thermally-modified samples. Properties of polymer loading, physical (water absorption and antiswelling efficiency), mechanical (static bending, compression and shear) and durability against white rot fungus were measured with the effects of species, cane diameter and impregnation period. This study found that polymer loading was influenced by species, cane diameter and impregnation period. Performance of physical and mechanical properties in modified cane were also dependent to polymer loading. Greater polymer loading in dok significantly increased most of its mechanical properties but this was not observed in manau. However, lower polymer loading in manau had greater physical properties than dok. Untreated dok was more durable than manau. The percentage weight loss following decay of modified cane was significantly reduced with higher polymer loading, which was obtained by
longer impregnation period. Thermally-modified canes had lower physical properties than non-thermally-modified samples.