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Wood is an ideal building material as it is renewable and green. However, low dimensional stability and durability might restrict its usage in structural application. Therefore, modification is needed to improve the aforementioned issues. As an environmentally friendly wood modification method, heat treatment of wood using oil as a heating medium has brought to researcher’s attention to the fact that it might serve as an excellent treatment procedure in treating wood. This paper presents a review about the effects of oil heat treatment on the properties of wood such as colour stability, dimensional stability, mechanical strength and durability against termites and fungi as well as its potential to be used as construction and building materials. The pros and cons of using oil as a heating medium in wood treatment are discussed. This review shows discrepancies between the treatment methods or procedures and its resultant findings. Moreover, the effectiveness of the treatment is governed by several factors such as the type of oils used and wood species. The objective of the present paper is to conduct a review of the published literatures regarding the properties of wood modified by oil heat treatment and the results obtained were compared systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work studied the numerical modelling of heat transfer in a pile of Pinus radiata samples of a square cross-section by using radio frequency heating. More precisely, the study focused on the effects of the energy transferred to a dielectric material (wood) from an electromagnetic field, which required the calculation of the dielectric loss factor and its correlation with conservative equations. In this way, the temperature distribution across Pinus radiata samples was obtained through the integration of the energy equation using the finite volume method. The numerical results were compared to experimental data obtained from three experiments of radio-frequency heating of wood samples of a crosssectional area of 4 in × 4 in, 3.1-m-long, and 20 cm of separation between plates. According to the observed linear behavior of the heat transfer process, the numerical results of the transient variation of temperature were in agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message : Increasing environmental pressures appearing over the last few years have led to important changes in the field of wood protection. In this context, new technologies, based either on thermal or chemical modifications, suggest increasing interest in prospect of programmed ban of biocide products. • Context : The evolution of the regulations on the use of biocide products has led to important changes in the field of wood preservation, leading to an increasing interest for non-biocide treatments like thermal or chemical modifications to face to the programmed ban of biocide products. • Aims : The paper reviews the different non-biocide alternatives developed currently on an industrial scale, highlighting their main characteristics and applications. • Results : Different treatments have been developed on an industrial scale involving mainly thermal modifications and acetylation, furfurylation and DMDHEU constituting already available solutions. • Conclusion : Different non-biocide alternatives already exist and will become more important in the next decades due to the increasing legislative pressure driven by environmental considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: An efficient use of thermal treatment of wood requires a depth understanding of the chemical modifications induced. This is a prerequisite to avoid problems of process control, and to provide high quality treated wood with accurately assessed properties to the market. Properties and structural anatomy of thermally modified woods are slightly different than un-processed woods from a same wood species. So it is necessary to create or adapt new analytical methods to control their quality. Context: Heat treatment as a wood modification process is based on chemical degradation of wood polymer by heat transfer. It improves mainly the resistance of wood to decay and provides dimensional stability. These improvements, which come at the expense of a weakening of mechanical properties, have been extensively studied. Since a decade, researches focused mainly on the understanding of wood thermal degradation, on modelling, on quality prediction and quality control. Aims: We aimed at reviewing the recent advances about (i) the analytical methods used to control thermal treatment; (ii) the effects on wood decay resistance and (iii) the advantages and drawbacks of a potential industrial use of wood heating. Methods: We carried out a literature review of the main industrial methods used to evaluate the conferred wood properties, by thermal treatment. We used papers and reports published between 1970 and 2015, identified in the web of science data base.. Results: Approximately 100 papers mostly published after 2000 were retrieved. They concentrated on: (i) wood mass loss due to thermal degradation determination, (ii) spectroscopic analyses of wood properties, (iii) colour measurements, (iv) chemical composition, (v) non-destructive mechanical assessments and (vi) use of industrial data. Conclusions: One of most interesting property of heat-treated wood remains its decay resistance. Durability test with modified wood in laboratory are expensive and time-consuming. This review displays data from different analytical methods, such as spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, chemical analyses or mechanical tests that have the potential to be valuable indicators to assess the durability of heat treated wood at industrial scale. However, each method has its limits and drawbacks, such as the required investment for the equipment, reliability and accuracy of the results and ease of use at industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the color and chemical changes of thermo-vacuum treated larch wood. Specimens were heat treated in a vacuum at various temperatures for 4 h. The color parameters of untreated and heat-treated samples were measured using the CIELab color system. Changes in the chemistry of larch wood were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results showed that the color of larch wood became darker at higher treatment temperatures. The O/C ratio decreased with an increase in treatment temperature. The C1 peaks showed that there was an elevated content of lignin and extractives on the wood surface after heat treatment. There were more free radicals for thermally treated wood samples, as demonstrated by the increase in the intensities of the ESR signals. Some groups of lignin that contribute to the darkness of the wood increased after thermo-vacuum treatment. Changes in surface chemistry may be the cause of discolorations that occurred during thermo-vacuum treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermally modified wood is widely used in cladding, decking, and other construction projects that are meant for outdoor exposure. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the color, microstructure, and chemical composition of heat-treated, Larix spp. wood that was exposed to artificial weathering. In this study, accelerated weathering tests (UV and moisture) were conducted over a period of 3000 h. Photodegradation of both heat-treated and untreated wood was evaluated in terms of color, microstructure, and chemical changes that were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Ultra-violet radiation caused the degradation of lignin and extractives of wood, resulting in an immediate color change of the wood. The SEM observation of the heat-treated wood showed deformations and cracks in both treated and untreated samples. Irradiation resulted in a pronounced reduction in the absorption intensity and broadening of the FTIR spectra. It was found that the industrial heattreatment of wood products resulted in more color stability than untreated wood during the early stages of weathering. Thermal modification was found, however, was ineffective in improving the UV resistance wood over long-term photodegradation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercus pubescens Willd. is a common oak species in the Mediterranean area, where it is currently exploited mainly for purposes such as firewood. To improve the technological properties of its wood, various steaming and/or heat treatments were applied to 160 wood samples from a southern Italian stand, cut from either sapwood or heartwood, while 20 samples served as controls. Steaming was carried out in an autoclave at 120 °C, whereas heat treatments were performed in an oven at 150 or 200 °C for 3 or 6 h. The equilibrium moisture content, swelling, mass loss, wood density, compression strength, color variation, and lignin content of the samples were measured and compared among treatments. The swelling and water adsorption of wood samples decreased due to the hydrothermal treatments. The mass loss was strictly related to the temperature and duration of the heat treatments, whereas it was not influenced by the steaming treatment. The average axial compression strength value was positively influenced by the combination of steaming and heat treatments. A significant and general darkening of color was also observed for the harshest treatments, while an increase of lignin content was detected mainly in the sapwood. Thus, pubescent oak wood subjected to steaming and heat treatments may acquire useful characteristics suitable for its industrial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of two-step freeze–heat treatments on the thermochemical and physical properties of two Eucalyptus wood were investigated. Five treatments were performed and compared to untreated control: freezing (WF), freezing followed by heat treatment at 180 and 200 °C (WFT180 and WFT200) and heat treatment at 180 and 200 °C (WT180 and WT200). The freeze step was performed at −22 °C for 72 h and the heat step was performed at 180–200 °C for 3.5 h. Thermochemical (wet chemical analysis, FTIR and TGA), physical (water absorption and ASE) and surface properties (wettability) were measured. The two-step freeze–heat treatments changed the holocellulose and extractives contents, and stabilized the 1% NaOH solubility. Dimensional stability increased and hygroscopicity of thermally treated eucalypt wood decreased. The two-step treatments resulted in lower chemical changes than the application of a heat treatment only. The apparent contact angle of thermally treated wood increased, confirming the improvement of wood hydrophobicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical analysis of temperature profiles during thermal modification of wood was carried out. The numerical solution - based on finite element analysis, FEA - of the 3D problem of transient nonlinear heat transfer model is presented for wood as a typical anisotropic material. The numerical model was enhanced for describing chemical reactions of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin (pyrolysis model), which takes into account the exothermic reactions as an internal source of heat energy. Experimental as well as theoretical process schedules were applied and the influence of sample dimensions (sample geometry) and wood species was studied. The influence of wood species was negligible on heating time to reach the highest temperature, i.e., the temperature differences were about 2°C during the drying phase. A expected, the sample size played an important role in the heating duration and in terms of the exothermic reactions of wood. The experimental and numerical data are generally in good agreement. The numerical error increased in the range of higher temperatures. The results can be improved by consideration of wood species (mass of wood compounds) and boundary conditions in the pyrolysis model, thus, better insight into details of thermal modification of wood could be reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the effects of heat treatment on the chemical structure of wood from narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), a fast-growing and economically valuable species. We also analyzed the effects of heat treatment on the wood's resistance to four decay fungi. Narrow-leafed Ash wood samples were heated with saturated steam to 140, 180, 200, and 220°C for 2, 4, and 6 h. The relative contents of extractable components were analyzed, as well as the levels of holocellulose, cellulose, and lignin. In addition, the density, equilibrium moisture content, and pH of the samples were measured. To determine the effects of heat treatment on resistance to decay fungi, the samples were exposed to the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor, dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans, and the brown rot fungi Coniophoraputearía and Gloeophyllum trabeum. Changes in the chemical composition of the wood due to heat treatment were correlated with increased resistance to fungal decay. While the hemicellulose content was dramatically reduced with increasing temperature and treatment duration, the lignin content increased proportionately. Thus, heat treatment is an environmentally friendly method of preserving narrow-leafed Ash wood against various decay fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood heat treatment is an attractive alternative to improve decay resistance of wood species with low natural durability. However, this improvement of durability is realized at the expense of the mechanical resistance. Decay resistance and mechanical properties are strongly correlated to thermal degradation of wood cells wall components. Mass loss resulting from this degradation is a good indicator of treatment intensity and final treated wood properties. However, the introduction of a fast and accurate system for measuring this mass loss on an industrial scale is very difficult. Nowadays, many studies are conducted on the determination of control parameters which could be correlated with the treatment conditions and final heat treated wood quality such as decay resistance. The aim of this study is to investigate the relations between kinetics of temperature used during thermal treatment process representing heat treatment intensity, mass losses due to thermal degradation and conferred properties to heat treated wood. It might appear that relative area of treatment temperature curves is a good indicator of treatment intensity. Heat treatment with different treatment conditions (temperature-time) have been performed under vacuum, on four wood species (one hardwood and three softwoods) in order to obtain thermal degradation mass loses of 8, 10 and 12%. For each experiment, relative areas corresponding to temperature kinetics, mass loss, decay resistance and mechanical properties have been determined. Results highlight the statement that the temperature curves' area constitutes a good indicator in the prediction of needed treatment intensity, to obtain required wood durability and mechanical properties such as bending resistance and Brinell hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Le traitement thermique superficiel du bois permet de rehausser ses propriétés hydrophobe, antifongique et anti-gonflement contribuant à le mettre à l'abri des aléas naturels. Nous avons étudié la pertinence d'un traitement solvothermique d'éprouvettes de bois d'épinette noire imprégnées de liquides ioniques hydrophile ([EMIM][OTf]) et hydrophobe ([HMIM][TF2N]) comparativement à un traitement thermique simple sous balayage à l'azote. Les éprouvettes ont été soumises à des tests d'adsorption d'humidité, d'absorption d'eau, de gonflement, et de propriétés mécaniques après des traitements réalisés dans les gammes de température et de temps suivantes: [180 °C-260 °C] et [30 min-4 h]. Les tests ont montré une diminution notable de la teneur ultime en humidité et de prise d'eau liquide lorsque les échantillons de bois sont préalablement imprégnés de liquide ionique hydrophobe et que la température de traitement reste inférieure à 200 °C. Cependant, les tests de propriétés mécaniques ont montré que les modules d'élasticité et de rupture des éprouvettes affichaient une tendance à la baisse avec l'augmentation de la température et du temps de traitement. L'imprégnation de liquide ionique ne changeait rien à ce comportement même si en général une fragilisation accrue des éprouvettes pouvait être notée à cause de la solubilisation partielle des principaux composants de bois. Surface heat treatment of wood improves its hydrophobic, antifungal, and anti-swelling properties, and strengthens its resistance to the vagaries of natural exposure. We investigated the relevance of a superficial solvothermal treatment of wood specimens impregnated with hydrophilic ([EMIM][OTf]) and hydrophobic ([EMIM][OTf]) ionic liquids which we compared to a conventional heat treatment under nitrogen atmosphere over the following treatment temperature and time ranges: [180 °C - 260 °C] and [30 min - 4 h]. The treated specimens were subjected to moisture adsorption, water absorption, swelling, and mechanical properties testing. The results revealed a notable decrease in ultimate moisture content and water uptake of the samples, provided they were impregnated with a hydrophobic ionic liquid before heat treatment at temperatures less than 200 °C. However, the mechanical properties testing showed that the elastic and rupture moduli of specimens decreased with increasing treatment temperature and time irrespective of using ionic liquids. However, the impregnated samples suffered in general increased breakability which was ascribed to partial solubilization of wood components in the ionic liquid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry thermal treatments of wood samples were carried out at 160 and 200 °C. After each treatment, the samples were irradiated using a strong UV emitter mercury lamp, and the colour change was then evaluated. For control, untreated samples were also irradiated using the same mercury lamp. Results showed that the extractive content of the wood played an important role in the colour change not only during thermal treatment but also during light irradiation. It was found that, compared to the thermally untreated samples, the thermal treatment at 200 °C reduced the red colour change due to photodegradation. The yellow colour change of photodegradation was hardly affected by the applied thermal treatments, showing that thermal treatments were not able to reduce the light degradation of lignin. The applied treatments slightly stabilized the wood against the degrading effect of light. The wood treated at lower temperature (160 °C) had less colour change induced by the light source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of heat-treatment on longitudinal permeability of circular and square wood specimens were studied here. Specimens were heated to 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, and 185 °C. Results showed that permeability increased at the lowest temperature due to shrinkage; then, it decreased due to irreversible hydrogen bonding and stiffness. The highest temperature increased permeability due to micro-cracks. The higher perimeter in the square specimens aggravated the effects of heat treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of zinc-oxide nanoparticles on physical and mechanical properties, as well as biological resistance of untreated and heat-treated beech wood were investigated in this study. Test specimens were prepared from sapwood and impregnated with a 5,000-ppm nano-zinc-oxide (NZ) suspension with a size ranging from 10 to 80 nm at 2.5 bars of pressure and using the Rueping process for 20 min. Control (C) and nano-zinc-oxide-impregnated specimens after (NZA) and before (NZB) heat treatment were divided into four subgroups of unheated (C and CNZ), heated at 50, 145 and 185 °C. Heat treatment resulted in a significant decrease in mechanical strength at temperatures of 145 and 185 °C. Heat-treated specimens showed less dimensional instability and fungal degradation. Impregnation with nano-zinc resulted in a slight and significant increase in weight loss and biological resistance against Trametes versicolor. The results showed that the impregnation significantly decreased the water absorption of the specimens. Impregnation before heat treatment showed considerable effect on the properties of wood compared to that of untreated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Effects of heat treatment temperature and duration on MOR and MOE were studied. [•] The MOR and MOE values were predicted by artificial neural network (ANN). [•] MOR and MOE decreased with increasing heat treatment temperature and duration. [•] ANN was quite successful in the prediction of MOR and MOE values. [•] It was shown that ANN can be used successfully for predicting MOR and MOE values. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aimed to evaluate physical and mechanical properties and colour changes of fast-growing Gympie messmate wood subjected to two-step steam-heat treatments. To achieve this, Gympie messmate wood was thermally treated under different conditions. Combined steam (127°C and ∼0,1471 MPa) and heat treatments in an oven (180–240°C for 4 hours) were performed. Physical and mechanical properties were evaluated by weight loss, equilibrium moisture content, specific gravity, volumetric and linear swelling and static bending tests, while colour changes were studied using CIEL*a*b*technique. The main findings showed that the steam pre-treatment in autoclave influenced most of the technological properties evaluated, mainly for heat treatments performed in low temperatures (180–200°C). The most significant changes after thermal treatments were observed for dimensional stability, which increased as a function of temperature of treatment. On the other hand, mechanical strength of thermally modified wood was significantly affected, while stiffness did not change. Colour modifications due to the application of two-step steam-heat treatments confirm the possibility to using these samples for aesthetic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Thermal conductivity values for heat-treated wild cherry (Cerasus avium (L.) Monench) were measured for radial and tangential directions and compared with those for untreated cherry wood. The wild cherry was heat-treated at a temperature of 212°C for two periods of time: 1.5-2.5 hours, respectively. The thermal conductivity test was performed with a quick thermal conductivity meter based on the ASTM C1113-99 (2004) hot-wire method, and measurements were carried out at the room temperature of 20°C. The results show that the heat treatment caused an important decrease on thermal conductivity of wood compared to untreated wood and the thermal conductivity decreased with increasing heat treatment duration. The highest decrease in thermal conductivity was recorded for a treatment duration of 2.5h. Compared with untreated cherry wood, the thermal conductivity on tangential direction, and radial direction of 1.5h and 2.5h heat-treated cherry wood decreased with 22.21%, 19.76% and 29.43%, 29.67% respectively. Radial thermal conductivity was similar to the tangential thermal conductivity. The data are useful when calculating the energy required to kiln-dry lumber and predicting the thermal insulating qualities of log homes made from the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the effects of thermal modification of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) on color changes after heat treatment were determined. The heat treatment of beech wood was conducted in a temperature of 180°C and 200°C for five different durations ranging from 2 to 10h. It was observed a gradual color change of treated samples whereas after 4h treatment no significant changes were recorded, measured with a colorimeter. The greatest reduction of lightness indicator L* was observed between 2 and 4 hours whereas the most intense color differences compare to untreated samples were occurred in 8h and 10h treatments. Comparing the two treatment conditions there is an obvious colour difference. Moreover, at 4h treatments time the differences were approximately 27.92 units more. Finally, radial direction gave higher values regarding lightness and longitudinal the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibrational properties of Japanese cedar wood at high temperature were measured. The specimen, its support system, a magnetic driver, and a deflection sensor were placed in an electric drying oven, where vibration tests were conducted. The heating temperatures ranged from 25 ºC to 200 ºC in 25 ºC increments. The resonance frequency decreased with higher heating temperature and decreased most dramatically in the temperature range of 150 ºC to 200 ºC. The loss tangent had a minimum value at 100 ºC and changed more in the temperature range from 150 ºC to 200 ºC than in the range from 25 ºC to 150 ºC. The changes in the resonance frequency and loss tangent of the specimens with larger distance from the pith (d) were smaller than those around the pith. These tendencies are believed to have occurred because the portion with a larger d had a smaller number of intercellular layers than the portion around the pith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the change in chemical composition, surface characteristic and mechanical properties of heat treated four wood species (ash, iroko, Scots pine and spruce) during artificial weathering from 400 h to 1600 h in relation to their color changes, surface roughness, compression strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and surface composition. Original color of wood species was significantly changed by heat treatment and artificial weathering. Artificial weathering decreased color change of heat treated wood samples except for iroko. Color change significantly increased with longer weathering exposure for heat treated wood samples however similar trend was not observed for control samples exposed to weathering factors. In general, heat treatment alone did not have a considerable effect on surface roughness of wood. Heat treatment seemed to protect wood surface to become rougher after weathering for softwoods. Compression strength and MOR of samples decreased while MOE increased during heat treatment. Compression strength, MOR and MOE of samples decreased considerably with longer weathering exposure both for heat treated and control samples. Softwood species seemed to be more affected by heat and weathering than hardwood species did with respect of loss on the strength properties. Severe delignification and hemicellulose degradation occurred in heat treated and control samples for all wood species during weathering from 400 h to 1600 h evident from rapid decrease at 1504/1508 cm−1 and 1730 cm−1, respectively. Heat treatment did not fully protect hemicellulose degradation and delignification occurred by weathering with longer exposure periods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The influence of thermal treatment on moisture exchange between wood and natural environment with variable air parameters as well as on dimensional stability of wood samples was investigated. The experiments were carried out with oak wood samples indoors and outside. The thickness of samples was 30 mm, width was 30 mm and length was 20 mm; conventional density varied from 500 kg/m³ to 580 kg/m³. Initially, the wood was air-dried down to 7%-9% of moisture content. In order to decrease possibility of the both moisture absorption and evaporation during wood application thermal treatment must be applied. Due to that the samples were heated at temperature of 60, 80, 100 and 120 °C for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The moisture content of wood and its variations after thermal treatment depends on the both heating temperature and duration. The higher temperature and the longer heating duration, the lower wood hygroscopicity can be achieved. The effect of thermal treatment on the moisture content and its changes were observed for wood samples stored indoor and outside. In dependence of thermal treatment conditions moisture content in wood samples independently on storing conditions (indoor or outside) can decrease down to 30 % compare to the untreated ones. The change of moisture content during various seasons after 24 hours of storing indoor decreases down to 60 %, while outside that is only 39 %. Dimensional stability of wood samples also depends on the both thermal treatment temperature and duration. The higher treatment temperature and the longer duration, the higher dimensional stability can be obtained. The heat treatment of oak wood samples at selected regimes allows to decrease values of shrinkage and swelling coefficients down to 40 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Natural wood, being biological material, undergoes rapid degradation by ultraviolet (UV) radiations and other environmental factors under outdoor exposure. In order to protect wood from such degradation, the chemical structure of wood is altered by chemical modification or heat treatment. In the present study, heat treated specimens of rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) were exposed to xenon light source in a weather-o-meter for different periods up to 300h. Photostability of modified and unmodified wood was evaluated in terms of colour and chemical changes. Light coloured untreated wood became dark upon UV irradiation whereas, dark colour of heat treated wood lightened on UV exposure. CIE lightness parameter (L *) decreased for untreated wood whereas its value increased for heat treated wood upon irradiation. Other colour coordinates a * and b * increased with exposure duration for both untreated and heat treated wood. The overall colour change (ΔE *) increased for both untreated and heat treated wood. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic studies revealed severe lignin degradation of heat treated wood due to UV light exposure. Colour changes and FTIR measurements indicate that thermal modification of wood was ineffective in restricting light induced colour changes and photodegradation of wood polymers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Changes in color (CIE L*a*b*) and properties (density, mass loss, density loss, and bending properties) of heat-treated beechwood were researched, as well as the possibilities of predicting these properties based on color. Considering the different market values of sapwood and red heartwood, the aim of this study was to establish whether these parts of beechwood differ after a heat treatment. Samples were exposed to temperatures of 170°C, 190°C, and 210°C, respectively, for 4 hours. In order to predict the properties, a linear regression with color change (ΔE) and ΔL predictors was used, as well as the partial least squares (PLS) regression with 12 color variables. It has been shown that heat treatment reduces the properties of sapwood and red heartwood in the same manner, and equalizes the colors. The PLS-R showed the best results of prediction and presented the very high coefficients of determination for the mass loss, density loss, and modulus of rupture (MOR) in both sapwood and red heartwood. The equalized colors of heat-treated red heartwood and sapwood can significantly increase the use of products made out of red heartwood. Color can be an important indicator of the quality of such beechwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this work was to study the chemical composition of surfaces and ageing effects on acetylated pine ( Pinus sylvestris), heat treated spruce ( Picea abies), and furfurylated radiata pine ( Pinus radiata) in comparison to unmodified wood. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) were the instruments of choice. Observation with a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope (LV-SEM) complemented the study. The spectroscopic information was also linked to a parallel wettability study on matched wood samples by the Wilhelmy method. The results show that XPS and ToF-SIMS are two powerful tools that in combination give complementary information, both quantitative and qualitative, and are well suited for observation of the ageing process of different wood surfaces. The hydrophobization process as a result of migration of extractives during ageing was well quantified by the XPS measurements and the results correlated well with wetting results. Several specific hydrophobic substances could be identified by ToF-SIMS measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Surface densification technique can be used to enhance mechanical properties of low-density wood at a relative low temperature such as 145°C. However, the final dimensions of densified wood products are not stable when exposed to cyclic weathering. Post-high-temperature heat-treatment could assist in solving this problem through the modification of chemical components in wood. This study examined the interactive effect of surface densification and post-heat-treatment on aspen (Populus tremuloides). Thickness swelling and other selected properties of heat-treated surface densified aspen were compared to untreated aspen. As expected, the heat-treatment significantly improved the dimensional stability of surface densified aspen and reduced the mechanical properties to some degree. However, the mechanical properties of heat-treated densified specimens were still greater than those unheat-treated undensified ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractThermal modification is a well established method to improve the dimensional stability and the durability for outdoor use of wood. Unfortunately, these improvements are usually accompanied with a deterioration of mechanical performance (e.g., reduced strength or higher brittleness). In contrast, our investigations of the hardness properties in the longitudinal direction of beech wood revealed a significant improvement with thermal modification. Furthermore, we applied instrumented indentation tests on different hierarchical levels of wood structure (growth ring and cell wall level) to gain closer insights on the mechanisms of thermal treatment of wood on mechanical properties. This approach provides a variety of mechanical data (e.g., elastic parameters, hardness parameters, and viscoelastic properties) from one single experiment. Investigations on the influence of thermal treatment on the mechanical properties of beech revealed similar trends on the growth ring as well as the on the cell wall level of the wood structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat treatment of wood is an environment-friendly method for wood preservation. The heat treatment process only uses steam and heat, and no chemicals or agents are applied to the material during the process. Tests have shown no harmful emissions are apparent when working with the material. This process improves wood's resistance to decay and its dimensional stability. In this study, the density, compression strength and hardness of heat treated hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) wood were investigated. Wood specimens that had been conditioned at 65% relative humidity and 20 °C were subjected to heat treatment at 170, 190, and 210 °C for 4, 8, and 12 hrs. After heat treatment, compression strength and hardness were determined according to TS 2595 and TS 2479. The results showed that the decreases of compression strength and hardness were related to the extent of density loss. Both compression strength and hardness decreased with the increasing temperatures and durations of the heat treatment. While the maximum density loss observed was 16.12% at 210 °C and 12 hour, at these heat-treatment conditions, the compression strength approximately decreased 30% and hardness values in tangential, radial, and longitudinal directions approximately decreased by 55%, 54%, and 38%, respectively. Hence, it was concluded that there might be a relationship between changes of these wood properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper describes the hydrothermal treatment (HT) treatment of a mixture of samples treated with three wood preservatives. During HT treatment, creosote-derived hydrocarbon (HC) residues were recovered in the decommissioned treated wood and the wood mass itself was transformed with 95% yield into a mixture of HCs, including substituted benzenes, phenolics and light polyaromatic HCs (PAHs). The metals from the CCA-treated wood were partially recovered (up to 48–88%) either in an acidified AQ phase or as a coating on the internal walls of the reactor. Some arsenic was probably transformed to arsine gas, which could be trapped and recovered under basic conditions. Pentachlorophenol was dechlorinated and removed to below detection limits. The HT process also resulted in the generation of industrially useful mixed HCs with substantial reduction in substrate mass. Thus, the preservative-treated wood as a hazardous waste was transformed into a complimentary mixture of liquid products. Creosote and CCA were recovered, and penta was degraded. It is important to note that this work was performed in large reactors, which were heated with hot air in a muffle furnace. Hence, the incubation time was long. Our current work with small reactors heated instantaneously in tin baths to 400°C has confirmed that HT reactions occur in the order of seconds to minutes. Future publications will address kinetic and mechanistic aspects of these reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]