Search

This paper presents differences in the drying behavior of red oak and yellow-poplar sapwood, heartwood, and bark and their relationship with selected physical characteristics. Drying experiments were performed on samples of sapwood, heartwood, and bark of respective species at 105 °C under nitrogen conditions. In addition, physical characteristics such as green moisture content, specific gravity, volumetric shrinkage, shrinkage of the cell wall, total porosity, pore volume occupied by water, and specific pore volume were calculated. The results showed that the volumetric and cellular shrinkages of sapwood were greater than those of heartwood for both species. For red oak, the specific gravity of sapwood and heartwood was not significantly different. Additionally, the total porosity of heartwood was lower than that of sapwood in red oak. The results also indicated that yellow-poplar dried faster than red oak. Among all three components, bark dried faster than sapwood and heartwood in both species. The activation energy for sapwood drying was less than for heartwood drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the genetic variation of Chinese fir clones in the radial direction. Four 20-year-old Chinese fir clones were selected in Kaihua Forest Farm, Zhejiang, China, and the differences and genetic characteristics were studied. Clonal repeatability, genotype coefficient of variable, and phenotypical coefficient of variable were calculated to light on the genetic variation on the radial direction. Results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the clones and annual rings of the same clone. The clonal repeatability of the ten wood properties is ranged from 0.5 to 0.8, wherein the fiber length, elastic modulus, and total dry density are higher than 0.7. For all the measured traits, the phenotypic variation of clones is greater than that of the genetic variation. Overall, the measured wood traits, especially the mechanical and physical properties, are strongly controlled by heredity, which means they are potentially helpful for genetic improvement of wood properties and optimal breeding. Furthermore, the clonal repeatability of the measured traits varies between annual rings, and the physical and mechanical properties are relatively stable. The principal component analysis results reveal that the clone of Kai 13 has the highest score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although many properties of plantation wood are greatly enhanced by heat treatment, large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released from this process, resulting in potential problems for the environment and human health. Volatile byproducts were collected from Populus tomentosa wood that was treated at 160, 180, 200, and 220 °C for 2 h. The VOC gases were partly collected at the heating, holding, and cooling stages of the process and were then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and thermogravimetry. The results show that over 90% of the volatiles from the first and third stages were alkane compounds. The mass losses in the heating and holding stages were almost at the same level, and the liquid byproduct contained approximately 48% phenolic products at 160 °C. The volatiles at 180 °C were mainly alkanes, terpenes, and aromatic compounds, and the absolute amount of VOCs released in the holding stage was much higher than that in the heating stage. The concentrations of phenols and ketones in the liquid byproducts decreased when the treatment temperature was increased, and more complex chemicals such as N-containing compounds emerged. Ester and aromatic compounds increased with the treatment temperature. The condensate collected at 160 °C exhibited considerable biological activity in the bacterial and mildew resistance tests. These results suggest that thermally treated byproducts can be turned into wood preservatives, which would also make the wood heat treatment cleaner. Highlights • The byproducts from different temperatures and stages were analyzed. • The condensate was demonstrated to possess potent biological activity. • Collecting VOCs would avoid air pollution, and condensates have potential value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance compression stability and fire retardancy of densified wood, a new modification method i.e., combined nitrogen–phosphorus (NP) fire retardant pre-impregnation with surface thermo-mechanical densification is used to fabricate a certain thickness of functionalized surface layer on poplar. This combined treated wood is investigated via vertical density profile (VDP), and the compression stability is revealed by both soaking test and cone analysis. Results demonstrate that the combined treatment hardened the surface of wood and reformed the interface combination of the NP with the wood cell wall, thus making the surface tissue more close-grained. Fire retardancy was also enhanced; the total heat release and CO generation values decreased by 21.9% and 68.4%, respectively, when compared with that of solely NP-treated wood. Moreover, surface hardness increased by 15.8%, and the recovery of surface hardness and thickness were 56.8% and 77.2% lower than that of simply densified wood. It appears that this NP-involved thermal densification could be considered as an alternative approach to enhance both the compression stability and fire resistance of wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]