Research Articles

This study investigates the bonding behaviour of Norway spruce wood strands to a surrounding cement matrix. Effects of wood swelling and shrinking during cement curing were studied by using strands of various thicknesses. The deformation of the spruce wood strands and the surrounding cement matrix, as well as the interface between the wood and the cement were examined using Electronic Laser Speckle Interferometry (ESPI) while applying a pull-out load. Sample deformation was transformed to shear strain maps, showing which side of the strand was tightly bonded to the cement matrix. The analysis of the strain maps proved that all strands were tightly bonded to the cement matrix on only one side. No shear deformation was observed on the loosely bonded side, meaning that there was no adhesion on that side between the wood strand and the cement matrix. Manufacturing of strands results in different surface characteristics and surface roughness. Bringing together the ESPI results with the roughness measurements, it was shown that only the comparably rougher surface adheres to the cement matrix. In a cement bonded composite (CBC) made of lignocellulosics to a greater or lesser extent, only half of the contact area is therefore able to transfer load.

Strand board can be manufactured from sawmill residues, branches, and crown wood left in the forest. The thickness swelling of these residues is quite different from that of mature wood and can have a negative effect on the physical and strength properties of strand board. A mixture of these materials and pressing conditions can be optimized by assessing thickness swelling of wood strands after pressing. Individual wood strands conditioned to 12% moisture content were hot-pressed at 105 °C to 50% of their original thickness and conditioned at 20 °C and 33%, 100%, and 0% relative humidity for 72 hours to determine their thickness swelling. A mechanical model consisting of springs and dashpots was superimposed on a stress relaxation curve to determine strain components with a view to predict thickness swelling. The data were interpreted by analysis of variance in conjunction with Fisher’s protected least significant difference method. The results showed a good agreement between measured and predicted thickness swelling of both juvenile and mature wood.

The removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions was studied using a compost generated from carnation flowers waste. The highest percentage of removal achieved (ca. 99 %) was obtained at pH 2.0, using a 10 mg L-1 of Cr(VI) solution, a dose of 10 g L-1 of compost, and with an equilibrium time of 3 hours. Under these conditions, the kinetics and adsorption isotherm were examined varying the initial Cr(VI) concentration from 15 to 200 mg L-1. The maximum sorption capacity at equilibrium (Qm), from the Langmuir model, was found to be 6.25 mg g-1. The evaluation of Cr(VI) removal at pH 2.0 showed a second order kinetics and showed that the process mechanism can be modeled by the “adsorption-coupled reduction” hypothesis. Also, the monitoring of Cr(VI) and total Cr in aqueous solutions showed that Cr(VI) and total Cr were removed from solution, and that part of the Cr(III) was retained on the compost. According to the results, the removal of Cr(VI) with the assayed compost can be explained by the following steps: (i) adsorption of Cr(VI) species onto compost, (ii) Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III), and (iii) adsorption of part of Cr(III) on the compost. Thus, this study suggests that the carnation flower waste compost can be used as a remediation system for water contaminated with Cr(VI).

The yield of monosaccharides after two-stage concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis of softwood (Scots pine) and hardwood (trembling aspen) was modeled using a generalized severity parameter with a time-independent rate constant. The severity parameter, which combines the major operating variables acid concentration, temperature, and reaction time in the decrystallization stage into a single reaction ordinate, was successfully used to describe monosaccharide yields after a standardized hydrolysis stage. Conversion of cellulose to glucose demanded a higher severity to reach maximum glucose yields than the conversion of hemicelluloses to their respective monosaccharides, and the conversion of pine demanded a higher severity to obtain maximum monosaccharide yields as compared to aspen. The results indicate that the generalized severity parameter can be a useful tool for the prediction of sugar yields in a two-stage concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis process.

A lignosulfonate was prepared from alkali-extracted corn stalk lignin (AEL) by oxidation under mild conditions and sulfomethylation. The oxidized AEL exhibited lower molecular weight, narrower molecular weight distribution, and higher phenolic hydroxyl content than AEL, demonstrating that oxidized AEL was more reactive than those before oxidation. The content of sulfonic groups was significantly increased with the increase in sodium sulphite to AEL ratio, while the content slightly decreased when the ratio was above 1:1. During the sulfomethylation, the content of sulfonic groups increased with time and then achieved a constant level with the increase in time. The content of sulfonic groups reached 1.29 mmol/g, the maximum value, at 5 h and a sodium sulphite to AEL ratio of 1:1. The solubility of AEL was obviously improved by sulfomethylation with the increase in the content of sulfonic groups. The surface activity of AEL was improved after sulfomethylation. The sulfomethylation products exhibited good dispersibility and showed potential for use as a dye dispersant.

Removal of Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Ni²⁺ from aqueous solutions using cellulose-graft-acrylic acid (C-g-AA) hydrogels was investigated. Various factors affecting the adsorption capacity, such as pH, time, initial ions concentration, and competitive ions, were tested. The results showed that the adsorption of hydrogels was very pH dependent, and maximum adsorption was obtained at a pH of 5.0. The adsorption capacities of hydrogels for the heavy metal ions were 562.7 mg/g (Cd²⁺), 825.7 mg/g (Pb²⁺), and 380.1 mg/g (Ni²⁺), respectively. The adsorption behavior can be very well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The observed affinity order of competitive ions adsorption is Pb²⁺>Ni²⁺>Cd²⁺ in mmol/g. The hydrogels can be regenerated after releasing heavy metal ions and reused three times with 15% loss of adsorption capacity. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra before and after ion adsorption on the hydrogels revealed that the complexation between heavy metal ions and carboxyl groups on hydrogels was the main adsorption mechanism.

Paper sludge is a major waste by-product of the paper industry. Its disposal creates serious problems, as approximately 30% of treated sludge is not flammable. In this study, artificial lightweight aggregates (ALWAs) were synthesized from paper sludge by co-sintering with H3BO3. H3BO3acts as a flux to lower the sintering temperature below 900 °C, with co-melting occurring during the procedure. The decomposition gas is sealed within the ALWA during the glassy phase to form a porous structure. Water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density, compressive strength, and weight loss after rinsing with Na2SO4 were tested to understand the physical properties of the manufactured ALWAs. The optimal method suggested is co-sintering with 18% H3BO3 flux at 890 °C for 30 min. The tested properties mentioned above gave the following results: 4.64 %, 2.77 %, 0.6 g/cm³, 13.2 MPa, and < 0.1 %, respectively. The ALWAs produced in this study have been compared to commercially available lightweight aggregates – Lytag and Arlita – with the examined ALWAs possessing better qualities than Lytag. Water absorption and compressive strength of ALWAs in this study met government requirements of pre-stressed concrete necessary for civil works, and could make useful building material.

The effects of a chelating surfactant and different foaming agents on the efficiency of cleaning process waters from a thermomechanical pulp (TMP) mill were studied in a Voith flotation cell. Turbidity measurements and gas chromatography were used to determine the removal extent and characteristics of dissolved and colloidal substances (DisCo). The metal ion content in the process waters before flotation and the metal chelate removal after flotation were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). FiberLab™ equipment was used to characterize changes in the size of fibers present in the process waters. The results indicate that a decrease in turbidity of up to 91% and the removal of 80% of lipophilic extractives in the TMP water could be obtained using a single-stage flotation unit. Furthermore, the foam fraction was within 5% of the initial volume, and 100% of the Mn2+/chelating surfactant complex added to the TMP water was removed.

The heat treatment of softwood (i.e. spruce, pine, fir, and larch) may result in significant colour changes. During this study Scots pine and spruce samples were steamed and analysed for their altered hue and lightness. Treatments included: 0 to 22 days of steaming time at a temperature range of 70 to 100°C. The outcome included a variety of colours between the initial hues and brownish tint. These new colours are similar to that of aged furniture and indoor wooden structures. Consequently, properly steamed softwood may be used to repair historical artefacts and relic furniture. Besides restoration, steamed stocks are excellent sources for manufacture of periodical furniture, where the aged appearance has aesthetical value. Results however, indicated that steaming at a temperature above 90 ˚C has a bleaching effect, i.e. the coloured chemical components formed by moderate steaming may be removed. Furthermore, we observed a linear correlation between lightness and colour hue at all steaming times and temperatures.

Dark brown wood color is a current trend and widely appreciated by consumers in the furniture and decoration markets. Heat treatment is one of the most effective methods to darken wood’s appearance. The influence of steam-heat treatment on color change of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) was investigated within the temperature range from 170 to 230 °C and time from 1 to 5 hours in an air-tight chamber within an atmosphere comprising less than 2 percent oxygen. Saturated steam was used as a heating medium and a shielding gas. The results showed that the chroma difference (△C*) decreased gradually, while the color difference (△E*) and hue difference (△H*) increased with an increase in temperature and length of time. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a multi-comparison analysis revealed that the treatment temperature plays a more important role in darkening wood color during the process of steam-heat treatment in comparison with the treatment time. The results suggest that a more desirable wood color can be achieved with the technology of steam-heat treatment.