Research Articles

Furfuryl alcohol modification of wood is a well-known process for wood property enhancement. The present project focuses on veneer molding for high-value applications using the plasticizing effect of furfuryl alcohol. Adding maleic anhydride to furfuryl alcohol leads to an acid-catalyzed polymerization of furfuryl alcohol at elevated temperatures, fixing the shape of the veneer. In contrast to water or water vapor treatment, furfuryl alcohol-modified cell walls face a lower degree of shrinkage due to the polymer formation and possibly experience less drying-induced cracks. Earlier studies show a distinct influence of maleic anhydride on the curing of furfuryl alcohol. To determine the impact of different maleic anhydride contents on the polymer formation and the corresponding shrinkage of wood cell walls, microscopic studies were carried out on various maple microtome sections (Acer sp.), i.e., when dry, water-impregnated, after furfuryl alcohol impregnation, and after curing at elevated temperatures. At each state, the cell walls of 30 appointed early wood cells were determined by cell wall area measurements. The lowest shrinkage of impregnated samples was realized by using 10 wt% maleic anhydride in the impregnation solution and after 48 h soaking. Here, cell wall shrinkage could be reduced by approx. 42.6% compared to water-impregnation.

Wood samples of Cupressus arizonica, C. lusitanica, and C. sempervirens were evaluated for chemical, anatomical, and pulp characteristics as raw material for pulp production. Two 17-year-old trees per species were harvested, and wood samples were taken at a height of 2 m. Wood chips from Pinus pinaster (Portugal) and P. sylvestris (Finland) were used as references. C. arizonica differed from C. lusitanica and C. sempervirens with significantly lower (p < 0.05) tracheid diameter and wall thickness in the earlywood. The total extractives contents were 3.9%, 3.3%, and 2.5% for C. lusitanica, C. sempervirens, and C. arizonica, respectively, lower than the 5.1% for P. pinaster and 4.5% for P. sylvestris. Klason lignin content ranged from 33.0 to 35.6%, higher than the 28.0 to 28.7% for the pinewoods. The kraft pulp yields for C. arizonica, C. lusitanica, and C. sempervirens were 37.7%, 36.7%, and 38.7%, respectively, with kappa numbers of 32.0, 31.6, and 28.7, respectively; the yield values were 40.8% and 42.8%, with kappa numbers of 23.4 and 21.0, for P. pinaster and P. sylvestris, respectively. The cypress species are clearly different from pine in relation to wood pulping behavior. Among the cypress, C. sempervirens provided the best pulping results.

Cellulosic pulps were prepared from Stellera chamaejasme roots using soda, soda-anthraquinone (soda-AQ), and kraft pulping processes. S. chamaejasme is composed of 73.5% holocellulose, 39.7% α-cellulose, and 17.6% lignin, similar to wheat straw and other non-wood plant materials. The ethanol–benzene extractives content of 9.2% is higher than other non-woods. The conditions used for all pulping experiments were as follows: a liquid/solid ratio of 5:1; a time-to-maximum temperature of 100 min; a maximum temperature of 160 °C; and a time-at-maximum temperature of 50 min. The results showed that the pulp yield was 31.27 to 36.83%, the kappa number was 16.32 to 19.42, and the pulps’ intrinsic viscosity was 854 to 976 mL/g. Tear index, tensile index, burst index, and brightness of the papers made from the above unbleached pulps were 12.60 to 13.62 mN•m2/g, 20.57 to 22.56 mN/g, 2.16 to 2.38 kPa•m2/g, and 15.3 to 18.3%, respectively.

Manufacturing panels from Tetra Pak® (TP) packaging material might be an alternative to conventional wood-based panels. This study evaluated some chemical and physical properties as well as biological, weathering, and fire performance of panels with and without zinc borate (ZnB) by using shredded TP packaging cartons. Such packaging material, a worldwide well-known multilayer beverage packaging system, is composed of cellulose, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and aluminum (Al). Panels produced from waste TP packaging material were also examined by FT-IR to understand the fungal deterioration and extent of degradation after accelerated weathering. Before FT-IR investigations, panel specimens were ground under nitrogen atmosphere due to non-uniformity of the composite material. The FT-IR results showed that fungal degradation occurred in the natural polymer of the panel matrix. Although the natural polymer is mostly composed of cellulose, there were also small amounts of polyoses and lignin. It was seen that especially polyose and lignin bands in FT-IR spectra were affected more than cellulose bands by fungal attack. No changes were observed by the fungi in the plastic component (LDPE) of the matrix; however, LDPE seemed more sensitive to weathering than cellulose. Incorporation of ZnB at loading level of 1% (w/w) did not contribute fire performance of the panels when compared to control panel specimens, while a loading level of 10% improved fire performance considering test parameters such as mass loss, ignition time and peak heat release rate.

This paper reports the bending strength and maximum deflection after plasticizing beech wood by microwave heating. Previous work by the authors confirmed that microwave heating resulted in plasticizing of beech wood, which greatly affected its deformation when loaded by compression. This work complements the overall analysis of the behavior of microwave-plasticized wood during its bending. Bending strength and maximum deflection were investigated on beech samples immediately after plasticizing by microwave heating. Static bending test with three-point flexural test was used. While plasticizing time and moisture content had an important influence on the bending strength, the device power had no appreciable effect. Plasticizing time had a significant influence on the maximum deflection, while the moisture content and device power had no substantial influence.

The effects of the plasticizer 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (Hexamoll® DINCH) on the thermal stability and degradation of poly (lactic acid) were investigated and compared with tributyl citrate and montmorillonite. A series of poly (lactic acid) composites were prepared via melt blending before being hot pressed into 0.3 mm films. Along with the increase of the content of MMT, the agglomeration degree rise and the MMT content for this study was determined. The addition of Hexamoll® DINCH could efficiently decrease the Tg of PLA and improve the crystallinity of poly (lactic acid) composites. The addition of DINCH or TBC could deteriorate the thermal stability of PLA composites. The addition of montmorillonite could improve the thermal stability of PLA/TBC and PLA/DINCH composites. The kinetic parameters including activation energy of decomposition (E), reaction order (n), and pre-exponential factor (lnA) of PLA/DINCH/MMT composites are 180.2 kJ/mol, 0.863, and 36.8, respectively by using Freeman-Carroll method.

Large numbers of vibration signals of wood-based panels are unsteady and complicated, which means that detection can be difficult. The wavelet transform is an effective method to detect these signals, which are otherwise difficult to detect using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). This paper presents a study on nondestructive detection of bubble defects seen in poplar laminated veneer lumber (LVL) using a combination of modal analysis and wavelet transform. The energy spectrum of wavelet packet decomposition due to a vibration signal is investigated. The vibration nondestructive test is used to study the relationship between bubble and changes of LVL physical properties. Results show that a bubble defect leads to a variation of energy dissipation in LVL vibration, and it is mode-dependent. For relatively small bubbles, the bubble-induced changes in natural frequencies are too small to be detected by the nondestructive method. However, by analyzing the energy spectrum of wavelet packet decomposition, smaller bubbles can be detected using the nondestructive vibration signals. The position and degree of defects can be ascertained by the wavelet packet energy curvature method at the same time.

Small-diameter wood resulting from thinning operations is an important secondary wood resource. Compared to wood originating from mature trees of the same species, it is less stable in shape and dimension when exposed to environmental humidity changes. To reduce its hygroscopicity and valorize this secondary wood resource in solid wood panels for outdoor use, wood samples cut from mature and small-diameter spruce, black pine, lime, and beech logs were heat-treated at 180 and 200 °C for 1 to 6 h in air at atmospheric pressure. Mass loss, swelling coefficients, and anti-swelling efficiency (ASE) were established for each wood type for a comparison between species. Mature and small-diameter wood was also compared under the influence of different temperature/time combinations. The heat treatment conditions that led to a mass loss of maximum 5% in each case were: 200 °C/3.5 h (mature spruce), 200 °C/5 h (thin spruce), 200 °C/3 h (mature pine), 200°C/3.7 h (thin pine), 200 °C/3.2 h (mature lime), 200 °C/2h (thin lime), 200°C/3 h (mature beech), and 200 °C/2.7 h (thin beech). Small-diameter spruce, pine, and lime (the soft species) recorded better dimensional stabilization than the mature wood of each species (ASEvol=49.7% compared to 39.3% for spruce, 38.6% compared to 38% for pine, 52.3% compared to 44.4% for lime), while small-diameter beech behaved differently (with ASEvol=43.5% compared to 48.5 for the mature wood).

The composting of thermal-hydrolyzed kitchen biogas residue, either with or without sewage sludge, was compared in this study. The addition of sewage sludge increased and prolonged the temperature to a sufficient level that met the requirements for aerobic composting. Moreover, after mixing the compost materials, oxygen, ammonia, and carbon dioxide levels reverted to those typical of aerobic composting. Finally, increased dewatering, organic matter degradation, and similar mature compost production were observed. Overall, the sewage sludge exhibits a potential synergistic effect to facilitate complete aerobic composting of thermal-hydrolyzed biogas residue.

Pectinolytic enzymes play an important role in the processing of lignocellulosic materials because of their ability to improve the access of cellulases to their substrate by removing pectins. The strain Paenibacillus xylanolyticus 2-6L3 was isolated from mature compost obtained from agro-industrial wastes, and the enzyme pectate lyase from P. xylanolyticus 2-6L3, named PaenxylPel, was partially purified and subjected to structural and functional characterisation. The enzyme exhibited an optimum temperature between 60 and 70 °C and optimal pH value of 9.0 for its pectinase activity on pectin from citrus fruit. PaenxylPel showed a thermoresistance and pH resistance higher than those of other pectate lyases so far described, with half-lives of 48 and 24 h at 60 and 70 °C, respectively, a retention of around 80% of activity after 96 h at 40 and 50 °C, and a half-life of about 15 days at pH 8.0. PaenxylPel followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics toward pectin from citrus fruit, pectin from sugar beet pulp, high-ester pectin extracted from citrus peel (> 50% esterified), and polygalacturonic acid (PLA). The ability to act on both PLA and highly methylated pectins, together with a double peak in the graph of optimum pH at pH 5 and 9, suggest that pectate lyase from P. xylanolyticus shows an unusual activity, combining traits of pectate lyase and pectin lyase. This is the first manuscript on the pectinolytic activity of P. xylanolyticus.