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Wood compression is a method of increasing the density and stiffness of wood. Using heat (thermal compression) or impregnating wood with various resins can also increase its dimensional st...

Hemicellulose is the most hydrophilic polymer of wood, and as a polysaccharide, it has potential applications in conversion to biofuels. The objective of this study was to enhance properties of flakeboard by extracting hemicellulose. Hot-water pretreatment was performed to extract hemicellulose under different temperatures (140°C, 155°C, and 170°C) and times (30 and 60 min). The flakes were blended with 5 percent liquid phenol-formaldehyde resin and 1 percent wax emulsion. The mat was pressed at 200°C for 5 minutes. The physical and mechanical properties and the susceptibility of flakeboard to mold were studied. Panels made from the hemicellulose-extracted flakes showed remarkable decreases in water absorption and thickness swelling without a decrease in mechanical properties. Resistance of the panels to the mold growth also increased with increasing mass loss due to extraction. The most severe condition of extraction (170°C, 60 min), in addition to having the lowest water absorption and thickness swelling, showed the highest mold resistance.