Fire Retardancy, Water Absorption, and Viscoelasticity of Borated Wood—Polycarbonate Biocomposites

Abstract

Demand for high-performance biocomposites is increasing due to their ease of processing, low environmental impact, and in-service performance. This study investigated the effect of boric acid modification of wood flour on polycarbonate (PC) wood composites’ thermal stability, fire retardancy, water absorption, and creep behavior. The composites’ fire retardancy increased with increasing wood flour content, and their char residue increased by 102.3% compared to that of pure PC. However, the water absorption of the resulting composites increased due to the hydroxyl groups of the wood flour. Wood flour also improved the composites’ anti-creep properties. The excellent fire retardancy and anti-creep properties of wood–PC composites expand their use in the construction sector.