Effects of cryogenic temperature on the mechanical and failure characteristics of melamine-urea-formaldehyde adhesive plywood

The present study investigates the applicability of melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resin plywood in cryogenic applications, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier insulation systems. Phenolic-formaldehyde (PF) resin plywood has been extensively used as a structural material in industrial applications. However, many shortcomings of PF resin plywood have been reported, and replacement of PF resin plywood with a new material is necessary to resolve these problems. MUF resin plywood has the advantages of short fabrication time, low veneer cost, and economic feasibility compared to PF resin plywood. However, the mechanical and failure characteristics of MUF resin plywood have not yet been investigated at low temperature ranges. For this reason, adapting MUF resin plywood for cryogenic applications has been difficult, despite the many strong points of the material in engineering aspects. In this study, the effects of cryogenic temperature and thermal treatment on the mechanical characteristics of MUF resin plywood are investigated. The performance of MUF resin plywood is compared with that of PF resin plywood to verify the applicability of the material for use as a structural material in LNG insulation systems. The results demonstrate that MUF resin plywood has mechanical properties comparable with those of PF resin plywood, even at cryogenic conditions.