Development of the Thermal Performance of Wood-Flooring by Improving the Thermal Conductivity of Plywood

This research on improving the thermal conductivity of engineered flooring was conducted to conserve building energy by a radiant flooring heating system caused by low thermal conductivity of wood flooring. Exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP) and resin for manufacturing the plywood were mixed to enhance the thermal conductivity. By using xGnP, resin/xGnP composites were prepared by the stirring of xGnP in melamine-formaldehyde resin with hardener, flour, and diatomite to increase the thermal conductivity of plywood for wood flooring. 1–5 wt% of xGnP were added to resin. The thermal conductivity of resin/xGnP composites increased as the xGnP loading content increased. Also, the thermal conductivity of plywood was increased with resin/xGnP composites. Plywood with resin/xGnP composites had higher thermal conductivity and tensile-shear strength than reference plywood. Moreover TVOC and Formaldehyde emission decreased. Applying xGnP to manufacturing plywood can be not only effective for increasing thermal conductivity, but also offers good mechanical properties and easy dispersion with low pollutant emission.