To improve the dispersion of graphene oxide particles in wood for better thermal conductivity, this paper proposes the feasibility of obtaining graphene oxide with a smaller particle size using ball milling and its application in melamine resin-modified poplar veneer. The median diameter of multilayer graphene oxide was measured to learn the effects of different ball milling conditions on the particle size of graphene oxide, and the optimum ball milling process was chosen. In addition, the microscopic characterization of graphene oxide under the optimum ball milling process was carried out to investigate the microstructural changes in multilayer graphene after ball milling. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the graphene oxide/melamine resin-impregnated mixture modified veneer with the optimum ball milling process was also tested. The results show that, under the optimum ball milling process conditions of SDS wet ball milling with a vibration frequency of 30 Hz for 60 min, the particle size of the multilayer graphene was the smallest, and the median diameter could be reduced to 124 nm. Simultaneously, the thermal conductivity of the melamine resin-modified poplar veneer enhanced by the ball-milled graphene reached 0.405 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹. In addition, it revealed that the number of graphene oxide layers was reduced to four after ball milling. However, the multilayer graphene was partially oxidized, the lamellar structure was destroyed and the crystallinity was reduced.

Intending to achieve more green and economical graphene impregnated modified fast-growing poplar wood veneer for heat conduction, this study proposes and investigates the feasibility of modified veneer with graphene/Polyvinyl alcohol (Gr/PVA) impregnation mixture to improve its thermal conductivity. The absorbance and viscosity of the Gr/PVA impregnation mixtures are observed to expound the Gr/PVA ratio effects on the mixtures. Simultaneously, the weight percent gain, chromatic aberration, and thermal conductivity of the modified veneers are measured to determine the impregnation effect and the optimal impregnation formula. Further, the chemical structure, crystallinity, and thermal stability of the optimal sample impregnated with Gr/PVA are tested. The results show that the thermal properties of the Gr/PVA impregnated modified veneer have not all been improved. Still, both the dispersibility of the impregnation mixtures and the impregnation effect is affected by the Gr/PVA ratio. The data shows that the optimal thermal conductivity of modified veneer, which is up to 0.22 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ and 2.4 times the untreated one, is dipped by the mixture of 10 wt.% PVA concentration and 2 wt.% MGEIN addition. According to the characterization tests, the crystallinity of the modified veneer reduces, but the thermal stability improves.

To expand the application range of fast-growing poplar, a modification method of poplar impregnated with nano-SiO₂ and urea-formaldehyde resin was proposed in this study. Taking the mass ratio of nano-SiO₂ mass to the solid content of urea-formaldehyde resin impregnation solution (W), high-temperature (H), and high-temperature time (T) as influencing factors, the effects of impregnation high-temperature heat treatment modification on the physical and mechanical properties of fast-growing poplar were explored. At the same time, the weight loss rate, oven-dry density, dry shrinkage properties, swelling properties, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the modified poplar were measured. The research results show that both the weight loss rate and the coefficient of variation of the oven-dry density have a high correlation with the temperature; the high-temperature immersion heat treatment can reduce the dry shrinkage and swelling of poplar, improve the dimensional stability, MOR, and MOE. W is 0–1%, H is 160 °C, and T is 2–4 h. The impregnated heat-treated wood has good MOR and MOE. Therefore, the combination of nano-SiO₂ and urea-formaldehyde resin impregnation and heat treatment to modify poplar can improve some physical and mechanical properties of fast-growing poplar, expand the use of poplar, increase its added value, and realize high-value utilization.

Plywood has poor sound insulation due to its insufficient areal density, which cannot satisfy the demands of an indoor acoustic environment. This report proposed to use furfuryl alcohol to impregnate poplar veneer as a raw material for plywood and explored the sound insulation potential of furfuryl alcohol-modified poplar veneer. The effect of different formulations on the sound insulation performance of modified veneers was discussed, such as furfuryl alcohol concentrations, catalyst categories, and solvent categories. The weight percent gain (WPG) and areal density (AD) were used to evaluate the impregnation effectiveness of furfuryl alcohol modification. The sound insulation was measured by the impedance tube method. The results showed that the WPG of the furfuryl alcohol-modified veneers was evident, and the AD was effectively improved. Furthermore, the average sound insulation of furfuryl alcohol-modified poplar veneer was 25.68~40.10 dB, which increased by 10.8~19.1% compared with that of unmodified veneer. The modified veneer with 50% furfuryl alcohol concentration, taking isopropanol as a solvent, and maleic anhydride as a catalyst, had the optimal sound insulation performance. At the same time, the cell microstructure and chemical components were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) theory to explain the sound insulation mechanism further. The results showed that the distortion of cell walls was improved, suggesting a change in the mechanical properties of the cell wall. At the same time, more micropores formed since the filling of furfuryl alcohol resin, yielding a tortuous propagation pathway, so the sound insulation performance improved. Finally, it demonstrated the potential of furfuryl alcohol-modified poplar veneer as raw material to prepare plywood with excellent sound insulation.

The combination of natural wood and graphene can provide a new type of material with excellent mechanical properties and thermal conductivity. However, it is difficult for graphene to uniformly penetrate the wood due to the anisotropy of natural wood and the agglomeration of graphene. In this work, poplar veneer was treated with low-energy-density microwave to expand the entry pathways for the graphene steering liquid. The porosity, weight percent gain, and chromatic aberration were used to examine the impact of the microwave time and power. We tested the mechanical properties, thermal conductivity of the graphene/polyvinyl alcohol-modified poplar veneer to evaluate its properties. At the same time, SEM, XRD, and FT-IR were used to characterize its physical and chemical structure. The results showed that low-energy-density microwave treatment increased the weight percentage gain (WPG) and porosity without affecting the mechanical properties of the poplar veneer. The graphene-modified poplar veneer with the optimal overall performance was obtained by microwave treatment at 100% microwave power for 50 s. Indeed, the micro-characterization also revealed that the microwave treatment mostly attacked the wood rays but had little effect on the materialized structure. Therefore, low-energy-density microwave treatment could be an energy-saving and efficient way to improve graphene-impregnated veneers.

Flattened bamboo (FB) exhibits pronounced structural and chemical heterogeneity between outer and inner layers and between nodes and internodes. These variations critically influence its interfacial performance with waterborne acrylic coatings. This study aimed to clarify how primer layer configuration and substrate heterogeneity jointly affect the coating adhesion, hardness, and abrasion resistance of FB. Three coating schemes—one primer and one topcoat (1P1T), two primers and one topcoat (2P1T), and three primers and one topcoat (3P1T)—were applied to four types of FB substrates defined by layer and structural position. Adhesion, pencil hardness, and abrasion resistance were measured according to GB/T standards, complemented by surface roughness, contact angle, XPS, and SEM analyses. Results showed that substrate heterogeneity dominated coating behavior. The parenchyma-rich inner-layer internodes, characterized by higher polarity (O/C = 0.296) and rougher texture, exhibited stronger adhesion and superior abrasion stability, whereas the fiber-dense outer layer nodes, with lower polarity (O/C = 0.262), showed weaker bonding. Increasing the number of primer layers improved film continuity only when the substrate microstructure allowed sufficient primer penetration. The combined findings indicate that coating adhesion and wear stability are primarily governed by substrate composition and surface polarity rather than by coating thickness. These results provide scientific and practical guidance for optimizing primer application and surface preparation in the industrial finishing of bamboo-based decorative panels, while also highlighting the environmental and economic advantages of waterborne coating optimization for sustainable bamboo manufacturing.