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The paper aims at the investigation of atmospheric pressure weakly ionized plasmas with argon and acetylene to deposit plasma-polymerized coatings on wood veneers (birch, maple), cellulose paper, and pine wood flour to modify their surface properties, in particular their topography and wettability. The treatment was performed in a reactor containing an array of high-voltage needles and a grounded metallic mesh as electrodes. The deposition occurred in the discharge downstream of the plasma region. The plasma-polymerized acetylene deposits form spherical nodules on the surface of the substrates and change their wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. The water contact angles of the veneer were determined with a goniometer. The capillary rise was combined with the Washburn equation to assess the change in hydrophilicity of the plasma-treated wood flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To screen ionic liquid (IL) candidates for wood ionosolv pulping, swelling and viscoelastic studies on Norway spruce wood treated with ionic liquids have been conducted. In particular, the temperature dependency and kinetics of swelling in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acesulfamate ([BMIM]Ace) and in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]OAc) were in focus. The kinetics of volumetric swelling in [BMIM]Ace yielded an Ea of 54 kJ.mol-1 compared to 23 kJ.mol-1 in [EMIM]OAc. The viscoelastic behavior of IL-swollen wood was studied by dynamic mechanical analysis, and the lowest in situ glass transition temperature (Tg) of lignin was ~58°C and ~65°C in [BMIM]Ace and in [EMIM]OAc, respectively. These Tg values are lower than that found in water. Higher Tg was calculated by the Gordon-Taylor equation, which mEans that swelling is not only due to the plasticizing effect of the ILs. SEM images showed that [EMIM]OAc has a stronger plasticizing effect than [BMIM]Ace. Overall, [EMIM]OAc is the most efficient agent for wood swelling, softening, and disintegration and, thus, it is the most promising candidate for ionosolv pulping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple derivatives of condensed tannins are described, which allow the tailoring of gelation (with aldehydes) and thermal degradation behaviors that have been obstacles to the commercial utilization of this abundant bioresource. Hydroxypropyl tannin (HPT) derivatives from bark of Pinus pinaster with varying degrees of substitution (DS 0.1-4.7) were analyzed with regard to molecular and physical characteristics, such as structure, molecular weight, thermal behavior, solubility and gelation. The modification reaction of tannin proceeds stoichiometrically to a mixture of oligomeric derivatives, mostly to trimers and tetramers, as demonstrated by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, elemental analysis, and gel permeation chromatography. The derivatives have an improved solubility in organic solvents and increased thermal stability. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was reduced by up to 37°C over unmodified tannin. At DS = 1.0, the HPT lost the capacity to produce gel with formaldehyde. A structure-property relationship was established by means of multivariate analysis, and the derivatives could be grouped according to their physicochemical profile. HPTs are promising biomacromolecular building blocks for tannin-derived materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of thermal compression on the organic-soluble material of a uniform wood substrate, hybrid poplar (clone OP-367), has been studied. Poplar veneers were preconditioned to 0% or 8% moisture content and subsequently hot pressed at 150°C, 200°C, and 250°C. The dichloromethane (DCM) extracts were characterized by various hyphenated analyses [gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS), electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC)]. The yields and composition of extractable compounds were markedly influenced by treatment at 250°C compared to those obtained at lower temperatures. Most importantly, the organic extracts contained a significant portion of lignin-derived compounds after treatment at 250°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of adhesives that have good initial adhesion (tack) that provides improved mat integrity during shape-forming of wood composites has been the subject of recent research. Hybrid adhesives were made based on thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde (PF), to which three tacky adhesives were added: high tack fish glue (FG), dextrin glue (DX) and a commercial acrylic, pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). Tacky adhesives were blended with PF at weight levels of 25%, 50% and 75%. The time-dependent tack development of the resulting hybrid adhesives was evaluated by means of a texture analyzer. The bond strength of adhesives was measured after curing by shear block test. PF/DX blends exhibited the highest tack during longer open times, while blends of PF and FG had low tack during shorter times. PF/PSA blends lost their bond strength completely after being heated at the curing temperature of PF. PF/FG blends did not show a significant decrease in bond strength compared to pure PF. The addition of DX had no effect on shear strength at ratios <75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanism to improve the toughness of phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin for wood composites is investigated. It is hypothesized that addition of maleic anhydride polyolefins (MAPO), namely maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) and maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE), to PF resin will toughen it owing to phase separation between the resin and MAPO. Dynamic mechanical analysis of resin with a low level of MAPP (0.5%) showed an improvement in the storage modulus ( E′) or stiffness of the resin system during curing. Similarly, the damping property, tanδ, examined at three discrete temperatures, improved with blends of low levels of MAPP (0.5%). The fracture energies ( GIc and GIa) at 12% moisture content were increased with the addition of MAPP at lower proportions (1.5%, 3%, and 4.5%); whereas the addition of MAPE showed a reduction in fracture energies, although not significant, particularly at lower levels. After 24 h soaking, specimens with MAPP showed significant improvements in GIc only at the 3% level; however, addition of MAPE resulted in a reduction of both the fracture energies. On the basis of these results, PF resin was blended with MAPP anionic emulsion for fabrication of oriented strand composites (OSC) test boards in Part 2 of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In thermoforming of profiled wood-strand composites, an adhesive system is needed to provide a weak initial bond to maintain mat integrity and architecture during the forming process and eventually a durable bond when the final cross-sectional shape is achieved. A hybrid adhesive composed of phenol formaldehyde (PF) and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) is proposed in this study. The cure kinetics of this hybrid adhesive and bond development in a multi-step hot-pressing is discussed. Cure kinetics studied by differential scanning calorimetry indicated that adding PVAc slowed down the curing reaction of PF resin; however, the full cure of PF was not inhibited. The nth-order Borchardt Daniels ( nth-BD) model provided good prediction for the curing of adhesives with a PF/PVAc ratio lower than 1:1. To simulate roll forming of wood-strand mats, a hot-pressing schedule at low temperature combined with multi-stage closing and opening was developed. The nth-BD model was able to predict the actual bond development for composites made with neat PF resin. The results indicated that cure kinetics of a PF/PVAc hybrid adhesive would not significantly differ from neat PF resin for blend ratios of 1:1 or lower, thus potentially providing a resin system for roll forming or matched-die forming of wood-strand composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]