Research Articles

5-Ethoxymethylfurfural (5-EMF) is a promising liquid fuel or fuel additive due to its high energy density and stability. The conversion of glucose to 5-EMF involves a three-step tandem reaction: isomerization, dehydration, and etherification. However, low catalytic efficiency in these steps has limited 5-EMF yields. To address this, a Fe/ZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst with both Brønsted and Lewis acid sites was developed and characterized using XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, Py-FTIR, and NH₃-TPD techniques. The catalyst’s performance in glucose conversion was systematically evaluated. Optimal conditions—20 wt% Fe loading, 180 °C reaction temperature, 10 h reaction time, and a catalyst-to-glucose mass ratio of 1:1—resulted in 97.1% glucose conversion and a 38.4% 5-EMF yield. Reaction kinetics followed a first-order model with an activation energy of 32.6 kJ/mol. The catalyst maintained over 94% glucose conversion after five cycles, demonstrating its stability. These findings underscore the potential of the Fe/ZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst for efficient glucose valorization to 5-EMF and provide key insights for process optimization.

This study integrates the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to enhance risk prioritisation in wood-based manufacturing. Traditional FMEA methods face challenges in handling subjective evaluations and complex environments. By incorporating fuzzy logic, this study refines the Risk Priority Number (RPN) calculation, enabling a more nuanced assessment of failure modes. Critical failure points, such as delays in order processing, production, and delivery, were identified, highlighting their impact on operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and financial outcomes. Using the Pareto principle, it was revealed that addressing the top 20% of the identified risks could mitigate approximately 80% of the overall risk exposure. Proposed corrective measures, including enhanced employee training, streamlined workflows, and improved communication protocols, provide actionable strategies to optimise processes and ensure sustainability. Conducted within a Croatian wood-manufacturing company, this framework demonstrated its efficacy in refining risk assessments and supporting continuous improvement. The findings advance risk management methodologies and showcase the potential for broader applications in dynamic and complex industrial environments.

Hardwood porosity domains (diffuse-, semi-ring-, and ring-porosity) exist along a spectrum with some taxa embodying only one porosity domain and others spanning more than one. A cascading model scheme involving a root-level porosity classifier and second-level taxonomical classifiers might be useful for mitigating reductions in the predictive accuracy of North American computer vision wood identification (CVWID) models when the number of classes increases. Thus far, the porosity classifier has been trained on images covering the breadth of the porosity spectrum. By reducing ambiguity near the boundaries of porosity domains, training the root classifier only on taxa that are quintessentially diffuse-, semi-ring, and ring-porous might produce equivalent or better results. In this study, a two-class (diffuse- and ring-porous) model and a three-class (diffuse-, semi-ring-, and ring-porous) model were trained on specimens only from taxa with quintessentially idealized porosity and tested on specimens with and without idealized porosity. Results showed perfect predictive accuracy for both models when tested on in-model taxa but showed lower accuracy on datasets with non-ideal porosity with all misclassifications being anatomically sensible. In addition, the results showed remarkable similarities between CVWID models and humans in how they “apply” the concept of discrete porosity domains to a real-world continuum.

Sawmill wood waste products were used for the biosorption of nickel ions (Ni(II)) from aqueous solution in batch experiments. Effects of physical parameters such as contact time, initial metal concentration, biosorbent dosage, temperature, and pH on the biosorption capacities of both acid-activated sawmill wood waste products (ASWWP) and unactivated sawmill wood waste products (USWWP) were investigated. FT-IR analysis confirmed that hydroxyl, carbonyl, and ether groups are primary contributors to Ni adsorption, through coordination bonding and electrostatic interaction mechanisms. The surface morphology via the SEM images showed a rough, irregular surface structure with porous networks prior to adsorption, but some of the pores were blocked after adsorption. Maximum adsorption capacities of 62.3 and 76.3 mg/g were achieved at 120 and 100 min for USWWP and ASWWP at a pH of 5.0 and initial Ni concentration of 180 mg/L, respectively. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model fit well for the USWWP, whereas the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was well-suited for describing the adsorption of Ni(II) ions on  ASWWP. The values of enthalpy changes (ΔH) for USWWP and ASWWP were 10.2 and 23.4 kJ/mol, respectively, which indicated an endothermic process.

It is estimated that there are 3.1 billion pallets in circulation in the United States, and the majority of these pallets are made of wood. This research was conducted to obtain important information about the market and raw material usage trends in the wooden pallet and container industry from 2019 through 2021. The results revealed that the wooden pallet and container industry produced an estimated 919 million new pallets in 2021, which is an estimated 75% increase over 2016. The 48” x 40” pallet size continued to be the dominant new pallet size with a 29% market share. The share of softwood lumber used in the industry has steadily increased since 2016, and it accounted for 81% of the lumber used in pallet production in 2021. The industry used 38% of the total sawn softwood and hardwood lumber produced in the U.S. The industry also produced 280 million repaired and remanufactured pallets; this is a 16.4% decrease compared to 2016. Approximately 22% of respondents stated that they were not affected by the pandemic. A majority of respondents (51%) stated that they exceeded their 2019 sales, and only 12% saw no change in sales in 2020 compared to 2019.

This study evaluated the outdoor performance of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) coated with epoxy-based coatings containing graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) after 336 h of artificial weathering. Results indicated that color change is inevitable. The GNPs covered the surface of the WPCs and restrained the UV degradation. The lowest color changes were observed in the 0.5% GNPs coating. Contrastingly, crack formations were noted on the coating surface without GNPs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis clearly revealed the splitting of the coating due to UV exposure. As the GNPs ratios increased, the crack formation decreased. Similarly, the macroscopic investigation showed that the surface roughness of the coatings decreased with increasing GNPs. Color stabilization also improved with the increased GNPs. Meanwhile, color changes occurred more rapidly in WPCs coated with pure epoxy. Epoxy-based coatings containing GNPs effectively stabilized the surface color. Additionally, GNPs restricted mechanical losses, with a reduction of only 3.68% for the epoxy coating containing 1% GNPs, compared to a 19% loss in pure epoxy-coated WPCs. In conclusion, coatings containing GNPs considerably enhanced the weathering performance of WPCs.

This study designed a corn kernel drying device and optimized the structure of key components. FLUENT software was used for numerical simulation of wet heat coupling. The differences in physical fields were compared within the drying section before and after optimization. The optimized drying section exhibited improved drying uniformity, drying efficiency, and drying quality. The optimized drying section took 180 seconds for the temperature at the center point to reach the expected value, while the mixed flow drying section took 240 seconds. The moisture content of the optimized drying section decreased to 3.79% at this point, while that of the mixed flow drying section was 2.89%. The results indicated that the drying uniformity and efficiency of the optimized drying structure were higher than those of the mixed flow drying structure. This research provides important data for the design of corn drying equipment.

This paper aims to optimize the product design of nail tables and chairs and enhance user satisfaction. It proposes a comprehensive and visualized design process for developing dual-category user products that balance the needs of two distinct user groups: nail technicians and customers. Leveraging the Kano model, DEMATEL method, and TRIZ theory, the process includes four key steps: gathering dual-category user requirements, categorizing requirement attributes, analyzing the interrelationships between requirements, and resolving design conflicts. Using the design of nail tables and chairs as a case study, the paper empirically demonstrates how to balance the operational efficiency of nail technicians with the customer experience. This approach not only optimizes the design of nail tables and chairs but also offers valuable insights for requirement prioritization and iterative development of other dual-category user products.

This study explored the applicability of oleander (Nerium oleander L.) extract and hydrosol as protective agents for wood materials. The research examined their effects on the physical properties of red pine (Pinus brutia), Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), and walnut (Juglans regia) following an impregnation process. Wood samples were treated with oleander-based solutions using the dipping method and then subjected to water immersion for various durations to assess retention, specific gravity, shrinkage, swelling, and water uptake. The results indicated that while oleander extract had no significant impact on wood retention, hydrosol enhanced water resistance and dimensional stability. However, the use of mordant increased shrinkage percentages, particularly in Oriental beech and walnut at prolonged exposure times. These findings suggest that hydrosol-based treatments can contribute to improving wood durability, offering an environmentally friendly alternative for wood preservation.

The escalating global demand for energy, coupled with heightened environmental concerns, has rendered the identification of sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative energy sources imperative. Ethanol derived from cellulosic fibers is garnering significant interest as a clean and renewable energy source. Among the various production methods, consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) stands out due to its distinct advantages. Clostridium thermocellum is considered an exemplary candidate strain for the CBP production of cellulosic ethanol; however, the low yield of ethanol remains a critical limiting factor. In the preceding study, it was demonstrated that neodymium ions could enhance the ethanol production of C. thermocellum. In this study, the whole genome sequences of the original strain C. thermocellum ATCC 27405 (C0) and the strain with added neodymium ions (Nd³⁺) (C1) were sequenced and analyzed. The findings indicated that the increased expression of pyruvate-ferric redox protease (PFO) resulted from mutations in its promoter region. Furthermore, an analysis of the sequencing data, along with the results from single knockout experiments, revealed that mutations in the genes encoding methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCP) and type 3a cellulose-binding domain protein (Type) genes were correlated with enhanced ethanol production. This study serves as a reference for the targeted modification of C. thermocellum to optimize ethanol production.