Enhanced Modification of Fast-Growing Wood: Application and Evaluation of Castor Oil-Based Unsaturated Polyester Resin

A type of multifunctional maleic acid ester monomer (COEGMA) was synthesized using castor oil as raw material, and green wood-plastic composites were prepared by chemically impregnating and curing the monomer into wood. The structure of the synthesized products at various stages was determined by FT-IR spectroscopy, H NMR, and GPC, and the curing experimental conditions were optimized. The results show that the water absorption of wood-plastic composites treated with COEGMA is reduced from the original 167.3% to less than 20%. The compressive strength has increased from 35.7 to 86.1 MPa, and the thermal stability has also increased by 40 °C. This research provides promising prospects for the development of environmentally friendly wood-plastic composites, especially as fossil resources become scarce and environmental pollution becomes more severe.