Characteristics of Benzylated Wood Meal Prepared by a Mechanochemical Method

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of benzylated wood meal, prepared by a mechanochemical and a liquid phase method. Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra, thermogravimetric (TG) curves, thermal flow properties, and crystallinities were measured. Benzylated wood meals of weight percent gain (WPG) from 11% to 78% were prepared by both methods. According to the FTIR analysis, the mechanochemical and liquid phase benzylated woods showed the same tendency of relative intensity at 699 cm and 3450 cm. According to the TG analysis, the mechanochemical benzylated wood showed different thermal decomposition characteristics compared with the liquid phase benzylated wood. The temperature at which thermal decomposition was initiated for the mechanochemical benzylated wood decreased as the WPG increased. According to the thermal flow analysis, the mechanochemical benzylated wood showed a smaller decrease in outflow temperature as the WPG increased, compared with the liquid phase benzylated wood. The crystallinities of the mechanochemical and liquid phase benzylated woods decreased as the WPG increased. However, the mechanochemical benzylated wood maintained a crystallinity of 10%, when the WPG was from 20% to 60%.