Extrusion of Solid Wood Impregnated with Phenol Formaldehyde (PF) Resin: Effect of Resin Content and Moisture Content on Extrudability and Mechanical Properties of Extrudate
A new deformation technique of wood flow forming is promising for industrial uses of solid wood. Flow deformability, size stability, and good mechanical properties were obtained by using wood impregnated with low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin. In this study, to clarify the effect of the PF resin and moisture contents in wood on the flow deformability (extrudability) and the mechanical properties of the product (extrudate), a lateral extrusion was conducted by using wood impregnated with various contents of PF resin and three levels of moisture content. The results indicated that the extrudability of wood impregnated with PF resin improved with an increase in both PF resin and moisture content. The mechanical properties of the extrudate worsened with increases in the moisture content of the wood impregnated with PF resin. Because most of the water in the wood remained in the mold during the extrusion process, chemical changes of the wood substance and PF resin occurred due to steam forming under the high temperature and pressure of the extrusion. The steam worsened the mechanical properties of the extrudate.
High-Pressure Treatment of Chinese Fir Wood: Effect on Density, Mechanical Properties, Humidity-Related Moisture Migration, and Dimensional Stability
A new densification technique for industrial uses of plantation wood was studied. Chinese fir wood was treated by high pressure (HP) at 50 to 200 MPa for 5 min. The density and mechanical properties, moisture sorption isotherm (MSI), and dimensional changes of the pressure-treated wood under various relative humidity (RH) storage conditions were evaluated. The densities of HP-treated wood ranged from 0.79 ± 0.01 g/cm3 after treatment at 50 MPa to 0.92 ± 0.02 g/cm3 at 200 MPa, which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control (0.35 ± 0.01 g/cm3). Hardness values in radial and tangential fiber alignment faces also significantly increased by 370% to 470% and 350% to 460%, respectively, as compared with the control. The modulus of elasticity and the modulus of rupture of pressure-treated wood increased by 48% to 88% and 89% to 170%, respectively. The equilibrium moisture content varied with RH, decreasing slightly at 33% and 52% while significantly increasing (p < 0.001) at 86% and 93% RH. Radial, tangential, and volumetric dimensions of densified wood were relatively stable at 33%, 52%, and 67% RH, while remarkable swelling occurred at 86% and 93% RH.
Application of ATR Infrared Spectroscopy in Wood Acetylation
Acetylation is a chemical modification of wood to enhance its properties. IRspectroscopy is a useful technique for proofing chemical bondings in wood and the Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy technique was applied as an easier technique over other IR-spectroscopies. In this research, different degrees of acetylation, weight percentage gains (WPGs) in beech and pine mini-stakes were achieved by using acetic anhydride. Acetylated samples were analyzed by applying an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy technique. Comparison of the acetylated samples with non-acetylated woods showed that hydroxyl groups (O-H) were diminished at wave numbers of about 3,354-3,328 cm due to the substitution of hydrophobic acetyl groups in cell wall polymers. A strong peak appeared at wave numbers of about 1,733-1,728 cm in beech and 1,737-1,728 cm in pine due to the carbonyl (C=O) stretching of acetyl groups. The magnitude of the bands increased with raising the weight percentage gains (WPGs). The methyl deformation of the acetyl groups induced at wave number 1369 cm caused by the stretching of C-H in polysaccharides. There was also a clear increase in the magnitude of the wave numbers at about 1234-1226 cm in beech and 1236-1226 cm in pine due to the stretching of C-O and carbonyl deformation in the ester bonds during the acetylation of lignin.