The preparation and flow properties of HCl catalyzed phenolated wood and its blends with commercial novolak resin

Phenolation of birch wood meal was carried out in the presence of HCl catalyst by using a reflux condenser system. The effects of reaction time, HCl catalyst concentration, and phenol/wood ratio on the phenolation extents were determined as a function of liquefaction temperatures covering 60, 90, 120, and 150 degrees C. It was revealed that among the reaction parameters, the reaction temperature had the greatest influence on the residual rate and the amounts of combined phenol. Although the optimum reaction temperature which gave sufficient amounts of combined phenol was found to be 120 degrees C, the residual rates obtained at 150 degrees C were however lower than those for 120 degrees C. It was also found that the flow temperature of the phenolated wood increased with an increase in the amount of combined phenol. In order to improve the thermoflowability, as one of the trials, commercial novolak resin was mixed with the phenolated woods in several different ratios. By this blending with novolak resin, the flow temperatures of the phenolated woods could be reduced to a certain extent.