Abstract:

Poplar (Populus spp.)veneers were dyed using wood thermochromic gent including thermochromic dye, chromogenic agent, 1-tetradecanol and sensitizing agent though ultrasonic impregnation and the impregnation process of reversible thermochromic poplar veneers was investigated in this research. The results showed that the effect of ultrasonic power on ΔE^* was greatest and its effect on ΔE^* was the most remarkable at 0.01 levels based on variance analysis. The second effecting factor was impregnation time and the last was impregnation temperature. According to variance analysis, their influence on ΔE^* was not remarkable at 0.01 levels. The optimum impregnation process was impregnation temperature 75.0 ℃, impregnation time 4.0 h, and ultrasonic power 120.0 W. The new product of reversible thermochromic poplar veneers was finally made in the laboratory. Its color gradually changed from blue to wood color with temperature increase from 26 ℃ to 32 ℃. Otherwise, its color gradually changed from wood color to blue with temperature decrease from 32 ℃ to 26 ℃.

Key words: thermochromic material, thermochromic poplar veneer, impregnation process