Volume 20 Issue 3

The inherent warmth of wood is widely valued in design applications, yet the mechanisms underlying its perception across different sensory modalities have not been fully explored. The aim of this work was to investigate the physical properties that influence warmth perception of wood across different species and surface treatments, and to clarify the respective contributions of visual and tactile warmth during multisensory integration. In this work, 10 material samples were technically characterized and their perceived warmth was evaluated by participants under three conditions: vision-only, touch-only, or combined visual-tactile interactions. Infrared thermography was used to quantify material temperature changes. Results showed that color dominated warmth perception under the visual assessment, while thermal properties and hand-material interface temperature differences significantly influenced tactile warmth perception. Wood species exhibited substantial effects on warmth perception, whereas surface treatments showed limited impact. Visual-tactile warmth perception was significantly positively correlated with both modalities, predominantly mediated by tactile inputs during direct contact, with visual characteristics providing critical complementary information. These findings advance the understanding of wood’s multisensory warmth perception and provide valuable insights for user-centered wood space and product design.

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the use of plant fibers in the construction sector. These fibers can represent an alternative to traditional fibers used in building materials, such as polypropylene fibers. Sustainable development requires materials that are environmentally friendly, i.e., natural and recyclable. Therefore, the aim of this article was to examine the mechanical performance (compressive and flexural strength) and properties of cementitious mortars reinforced with small-scale jute fibers. The jute fibers used in this work were pre-treated with demineralized water and cut into small sizes with a maximum length of 5 mm to eliminate the use of superplasticizers to make the mix homogeneous. The results obtained showed that mortars reinforced with 0.5% plant fibers had higher tensile and compressive strength than ordinary mortars. Furthermore, whatever the percentage, the fibers retained the interior temperature during cool periods, which could help reduce the power consumption of home air-conditioning systems. Therefore, the introduction of fibers saves cement, admixture, and water for each percentage. These results point to a promising future for the use of plant fibers in cementitious materials.

To explore the impact of wood biochar on the early growth of tree seedlings, biochar was produced from the branches of tree species deemed as waste wood: tamarix, acacia, and eucalyptus. This biochar was mixed with agricultural soil at various concentrations. Subsequently, Moringa oleifera seedlings were planted in the biochar-soil mixture and monitored over an eight-week period. Then the data were collected and statistically analysed. All of the biochar treatments applied to Moringa oleifera seeds resulted in a notable reduction in germination rates. In particular, the control treatment—where no biochar was used—showed a significantly higher rate of seed germination compared to the various biochar treatments that were made from different feedstock species and processed at varying pyrolysis temperatures, highlighting the diverse impact of biochar characteristics on seed development. Nonetheless, the biochar-soil mixture retained higher levels of water and promoted greater biomass and relative plant growth. Thus, it is crucial to interpret these results within an environmental context to gain a comprehensive understanding. Selecting appropriate branch wood feedstocks may enhance the production of suitable biochar products for specific applications. Pretreatment techniques for feedstock before biochar processing might be necessary.

Mechanical characteristics were studied for epoxy composites reinforced with cork fillers, analyzing various loading conditions of fillers ranging from 0 to 30%. The fabrication utilized a hand layup method. The results indicated that the composite mechanical properties, glass transition temperature, and storage modulus were optimal at a 20% natural filler loading. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showcased exceptional energy absorption capabilities up to 110 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the bio-filler degraded quickly, leaving 0.3% remnant, but the cork filler composite (25% v/v) showed an even residue concentration of 9%. Additionally, biodegradability tests showed weight loss in a soil burial test with the addition of bio-filler to the composite.

The effects of artificial weathering (168, 336, and 504 h) on the glossiness values and color parameters of varnished, polyurethane-modified ash wood were investigated. Samples included control samples without treatment and thermally treated samples under two different conditions (190 °C for 1.5 h and 212 °C for 2 h), all coated with a polyurethane-modified water-based varnish. In non-thermally treated and varnished samples, decreases in L* values were observed after weathering, while increases were noted in h^o, C*, b*, and glossiness at 60° in both perpendicular and parallel directions to the fibers. After weathering, for samples thermally treated at 190 °C for 1.5 h and varnished, increases were observed in glossiness values at 20° and 60° in both directions, as well as in L*, b*, and h^o values. Conversely, decreases were noted in a* and C* values. In samples thermally treated at 212 °C for 2 h and varnished, increases in a*, L*, h^o, b*, and C* values were detected after weathering, whereas decreases were observed in glossiness at all angles (20° and 60°) in both directions. The ∆E* values showed a decreasing trend in non-thermally treated varnished samples after weathering, while an increase was observed in samples thermally treated at 212 °C for 2 h and varnished.

Curcuma caesia Roxb., commonly known as black turmeric, has high medicinal and economic value, primarily due  to its wide range of bioactive compounds. Due to overharvesting and habitat destruction, C. caesia populations have been reduced drastically. Conventional propagation through rhizomes is inefficient due to susceptibility to microbial infections, long maturation periods, and unstable bioactive compounds content. This study aimed to enhance phenolics content, antioxidant properties, and curcumin content in in vitro propagated C. caesia through application of elicitors. C. caesia plantlets were treated with different concentrations of methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, silver nitrate, chitosan, and yeast extract. The total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, antioxidants, and curcumin content in leaves and rhizomes were assessed. At 200 μM, methyl jasmonate significantly enhanced total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content and antioxidant properties in leaves and rhizomes. Silver nitrate (200 μM) and methyl jasmonate (100 to 200 μM) yielded the highest total curcumin content. Overall, methyl jasmonate was the most effective elicitor for improving phenolics content, antioxidant activities and curcumin accumulation. These findings highlight the potential of elicitor-based strategies, particularly methyl jasmonate, as an effective and sustainable approach to enhance the yield and quality of pharmaceutically important bioactive compounds in C. caesia, offering promising prospects for its conservation, commercial cultivation and medicinal applications.

Lignocellulosic residues (guava leaves, cabbage leaves, pineapple peels, pomegranate peels, orange peels, banana pseudostem, and wheat bran) were used for the production of laccase (LaC) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) via solid-state fermentation (SSF) by fungi (Cerrena unicolor and Loweporus lividus). The results revealed that banana pseudostems presented higher LaC and LiP activities (49.8±1.4 U/g and 7.8±0.24 U/g, respectively) than other agricultural residues did. Banana pseudostems presented increased amounts of lignin (21±0.28%), cellulose (42.8±0.92%), and hemicelluloses (22.3±0.14%), which stimulated enzyme production. The data revealed that glucose (a carbon source), ammonium sulfate (a nitrogen source), an inducer (polysorbate 80, 0.15%), a pH of 4.5, and a 60% moisture content were optimal for LaC and LiP production. Two-level full factorial designs revealed that the variables moisture, pH, polysorbate 80, and glucose significantly influenced LaC and LiP production (p<0.001). A central composite design was applied to optimize the medium components, and glucose and polysorbate 80 influenced LaC and LiP production. The optimized medium (4.82 pH, 0.13% polysorbate 80, and 0.57% glucose) improved LaC (151.9 U/g) and LiP (19.2 U/g) production. The crude enzyme was used to decolorize the dyes. The degradation rates of acid yellow, bromo-chloroform purple, and reactive black 5 were >82%.

All-cellulose composites were prepared using a novel AlCl₃/ZnCl₂ molten salt solvent system, which allows for fabrication at room temperature. Unlike conventional NaOH/urea solvent systems, the proposed solvent demonstrates enhanced solubility and processing efficiency without requiring low-temperature conditions. The composites produced at room temperature, while they displayed enhanced wet strength properties, possessed a rather poor tensile strength and Young´s Modulus. When the composites were treated with the molten salt solvent system at a higher temperature, the composites displayed a marked performance improvement, suggesting that the solvent’s efficiency is temperature dependent. At higher temperatures comparable performance to NaOH/ urea produced all-cellulose composites was demonstrated. This dual advantage, room-temperature processing and improved properties at elevated temperatures, demonstrates the versatility of the AlCl₃/ZnCl₂ molten salt solvent system and the potential for energy-efficient, scalable production of sustainable all-cellulose composites.

This study investigates how consumers perceive the cultural sustainability of Neo-Chinese furniture through the lens of online reviews on two major e-commerce platforms in China: JD.com and Tmall. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining Word2Vec modeling, qualitative content analysis, and a cultural semiotics framework, 47,766 reviews were evaluated across eight representative brands. Consumer perceptions were categorized into three cultural layers—tangible (e.g., material quality, design form), behavioral (e.g., functional use, craftsmanship), and intangible (e.g., aesthetic taste, historical symbolism). The data revealed that Tmall reviews were 23% more likely to mention aesthetic attributes (viz., style, elegance), while JD reviews contained 35% more references to functional features and material credibility (viz., “solid wood,” “durability”). However, references to intangible cultural dimensions—such as traditional narratives or symbolic meaning—accounted for less than 8% of all keyword clusters on both platforms. This indicates a shared deficit in deep cultural cognition. The paper concludes by proposing platform-specific strategies to enhance cultural communication and engagement, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable design and digital cultural branding.

The cryogenic mechanical behavior of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) composites was studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The HAp was synthesized from chicken eggshells via a hydrothermal process, offering a sustainable, bio-derived source of calcium phosphate. The composites were fabricated through a wet mixing technique to ensure uniform distribution of HAp within the PEG matrix. Cryogenic characterization was conducted over a temperature range of minus 100 °C to 50 °C to evaluate the viscoelastic properties of the composites under extreme conditions. The results demonstrated a significant enhancement in the storage modulus (E′), with the 30 wt% PEG-HAp composite achieving a peak value of 1.128 GPa. This improvement is attributed to the effective impregnation and interfacial interaction between the PEG and HAp phases. These findings indicate the potential applicability of PEG/HAp composites in biomedical and cryogenic environments, although further studies are necessary to explore their specific functional roles in targeted applications. The study contributes to the advancement of biocomposite materials by elucidating the effects of cryogenic conditions on mechanical performance and supports the use of sustainable raw materials in composite fabrication.