Effects of nano-silver and nano-zycosil on mechanical strength of heat, vapor, and dry-ice-treated biscuit and dovetail medium-density fiberboard miter joints

The present study is aimed at determining the effects of nano-silver and nano-zycosil on biscuit and dovetail MDF miter joints treated with heat, vapor chamber, and dry-ice-blasting. These two kinds of joints are very popular in cabinet-making industry and are used with or without adhesive on a large scale because of their strength as well as ease in making. Seven combinations of joints were made and treated with nanoparticles, including single and double dovetail with and without adhesive, and three sizes of biscuit joints. The size of the nanoparticles was between 20 and 80 nano-meter. Results showed that double-dovetail joint with adhesive had the best mechanical strength (3080 N). Heat and vapor-chamber treatments significantly decreased the strength of joints. Treatment with nanosilver generally decreased the strength of joints; the heat-transfer property of silver could not compensate for the loss in strength caused by heat treatment. Similarly, nano-zycosil significantly decreased the strength and its water-repellant property did not result in improvement in the strength of specimens treated in vapor-chamber. Also, nano-silver is not recommended to be used for joints to be cleaned by ice-blasting, though the loading strength of nano-silver ice-blasted dovetail joints seemed to be slightly more than the control joints that were ice-blasted.