Volume 20 Issue 3

Cello-oligosaccharides (COS) are products of the preliminary hydrolysis of cellulose. They have been the subject of significant research and application potential across various fields, including food, feed, and biotechnology. This study explored an eco-friendly, efficient process for producing COS from bamboo biomass. Subsequently, the optimal hydrolysis conditions using microcrystalline cellulose as the substrate were determined to establish the best process for converting bamboo cellulose into COS. The resulting hydrolyzate was analyzed, with cellobiose content (mg/L) serving as the response variable to identify the optimal conditions for pH, hydrolysis temperature, enzyme addition amount, substrate addition amount, reaction time, and inhibitor addition amount. Finally, various bamboo pretreatment technologies and cellulose hydrolysis methods were integrated to determine the most suitable hydrolysis technology for bamboo cellulose. The results of this study demonstrate that enzymatic hydrolysis can be employed as a production method to convert bamboo cellulose to COS.

Increasing the mechanical strength of wooden materials with glass fiber fabric reinforcement and composite elements can be a very suitable method for restoration and strengthening techniques in historical wooden structures. In this study, the effects of fiber-reinforced laminated wood composites were examined with respect to bending strength and modulus of elasticity in bending. Experimentally, 0°/90° woven glass fiber fabrics with areal weights of 200, 300, and 400 g/m² were bonded using epoxy resin to the longitudinal surfaces of two different wood species (Scots pine and Turkish beech). An evaluation of the bending properties of these wooden sandwich structures revealed that the incorporation of glass fiber fabric reinforcement led to a significant enhancement in their bending strength. In addition, a significant improvement was achieved in the modulus of elasticity. It was observed that glass fiber fabric, especially the 400 g/m² weight options, increased the durability of wood materials more. As a result, the bending strength of wood materials can be significantly increased with glass fiber fabric reinforcement. This method can be considered a promising reinforcement technique, particularly in the fields of engineering and construction. However, in the context of historical restoration, the use of external reinforcement must be approached with caution due to conservation principles such as material authenticity, reversibility, and minimal intervention.

The water resistance, strength, and thermal properties of the thermoplastic composites were investigated by using different blends of barley stalk flour and waste glass flour as hybrid fillers in HDPE (50 wt%). Virgin E-glass fibers were also used for comparison with the results of the waste glass. The test specimens were prepared by hot-press molding. It was found that the water resistance, tensile strength, and modulus of the HDPE polymer composite prepared with the addition of barley straw flour alone were improved with the use of the waste glass flour and barley straw hybrid. The water absorption (24-h) of the HDPE/barley straw composite was found to be 8.38% while the water absorption decreased to 2.2% in hybrid use with 15 wt% waste glass flour. The addition of the barley straw and waste glass altered the crystalline structure of the HDPE, reducing the melting temperature and melting enthalpy while increasing the crystallinity index. The waste glass provided better thermal stability and a controlled increase in the crystallinity, whereas the glass fiber provided higher crystallinity at the expense of greater disruption to the crystalline structure.

The use of aging aids can be used in conjunction with existing furniture to expand the aging function of the furniture, so that the furniture better meets the needs of the elderly. Pneumatic massage is a kind of massage technology that realises the massage function by inflating and deflating the airbag. Compared with mechanical massage, it has the advantages of simple structure, soft force, safety and reliability, and it is especially suitable for the application of old age recreation products. In order to accurately match the needs of the elderly for pneumatic massage products and develop suitable pneumatic massage cushion products, this paper constructs a research framework of user needs-user behaviour-design elements based on the joint AHP-AEIOU-QFD model, which clarifies the user needs and core design elements of the ageing pneumatic massage cushion and provides an important basis for product development. Firstly, the AHP method was used to construct the user requirements model, which clarified that safety and core functions are the core primary needs of the elderly, and structural rationality and pneumatic massage function are the core secondary needs of the elderly. Further, the QFD method converts the user requirements into technical parameters and analyses them and clarifies the modular airbag and support structure design as the core design elements of the age-friendly pneumatic massage cushion products. Finally, the JACK simulation platform is used to conduct comparative experiments on the design parts of the products, and the simulation data verifies the feasibility of the optimised products. The results of this paper have an important role in guiding the design and development of ageing massage cushion products.

One of the big problems in Saudia Arabia is the scarcity of irrigation water, and this extremely affects the yield of plant components. Consequently, determination of the best water irrigation requirements for the growth and productivity of date palm trees is needed. The current study was performed on three date palm cultivars: ‘Khalas’, ‘Nabbut’, and ‘Rothana’ to investigate the effect of 100% (19.2 m³), 80% (15.36 m³), 60% (11.52 m³), and 40% (7.68 m³) irrigation on the yield and fruit quality characteristics. The results showed that irrigation with 100% and 80% significantly increased the fruit yield, marketable fruit number, and fruit weight. Moreover, these regimes also greatly increased the fruit content from total and reduced sugars, and soluble solids compared with 40% and 60% regimes. The 100% and 80% irrigation regimes reduced the fruit acidity but the differences between 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% water irrigation were not significant in ‘Khalas’ or ‘Nabbut’. The effect of 100% was significant compared with the influence of 40%. The water footprint was significantly higher with 100% and 80% rather than with 60% or 40%.

Rubberwood (RW), a commercially valuable timber species widely used for mid-to-high-end wood products in Yunnan, was modified through full-cell impregnation with sodium silicate (SS) solutions at varying concentrations (10 to 30%). The treatment significantly improved the wood’s performance, overcoming challenges such as achieving optimal impregnation while preserving its integrity. Comprehensive analysis indicated that a 20% sodium silicate solution provided the most effective modification. This optimal treatment increased compressive strength by 15% (78.8 MPa), increased modulus of elasticity by 35.7% (1900 MPa), and reduced water absorption by 13.3% (103.5%) compared to untreated samples. Microstructural analysis confirmed optimal impregnation at 20%, with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealing Si-O-Si peaks and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicating the presence of silicon, confirming the successful penetration of sodium silicate and silica formation. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that there was no alteration in the position of the cellulose diffraction peaks, which demonstrated that the sodium silicate impregnation treatment did not destroy its crystalline structure. This modification enhanced the mechanical properties and thermal stability of rubberwood while providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional chemical treatments. Sodium silicate, mildly toxic and abundant, offers a sustainable solution for improving wood quality in various applications.

Agriculture generates a large volume of waste and contributes to environmental pollution. For instance, pruning the orchards leads to an abundant volume of woody residues. Disposing of this material improperly has adverse effects. Thus, it makes sense to convert this material into wood pellets or activated carbon (AC). This work compared these two options by producing samples of both types from the same biomass. A sample of AC was prepared in a fluidized bed reactor at an activation temperature of 580 °C and a residence time of 120 min. The life cycle assessment (LCA) technique was employed to assess the environmental impacts. Findings determined that the produced AC had a BET area and iodine number of up to 940 and 860 mg/g, respectively. Furthermore, the outputs of the LCA analysis demonstrated that wood pellets compared to AC had more environmental impacts for the global warming, abiotic depletion, ozone layer depletion, and photochemical oxidation indicators. Generally, the results showed that between the defined methods for managing the generated woody waste, using them as a feedstock for AC production is preferable to wood pellets production. In this case, the benefits for the farmers and the environment are significantly greater.

Bamboo plantations are in high demand in the global market due to bamboo’s versatility and fast-growing nature. Dendrocalamus asper is one of the important species and is utilized in various industries, making it an economically valuable crop. Increasing yields while maintaining effective cost management is essential for planters. However, water stress possesses a significant challenge which can potentially disrupt bamboo growth and its physiological responses and thus the plant productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and physiological responses of D. asper under different water treatments. A total of 45 seedlings were placed in a greenhouse and subjected to three different watering regimes at field capacity. The growth and physiological parameters including culm diameter, plant height, transpiration rate, photosynthesis rate, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, and stomatal conductance were measured.  The study showed that 100% of water capacity produced the best results for all the growth and physiological parameters measured. The reduction of water significantly reduced the growth of the seedlings, and the increment of water application beyond that point did not contribute to the increment of the plant growth. This indicates that excessive watering of bamboo did not improve growth performance, emphasizing the importance in optimizing water usage and conserving resources for economic sustainability.

The static structural behavior was investigated for the ‘Five-tier Outer Eave Column-head Dougong bracket’ from the Main Hall of Nanchan Temple (Tang Dynasty of ancient China) using finite element analysis (FEA). A refined ANSYS model was developed with an orthotropic constitutive framework based on mechanical properties of Pinus sylvestris (tested per GB/T standards), incorporating the Hill yield criterion to define wood plasticity. Vertical monotonic static loading (Z-axis) and horizontal low-cycle reciprocating loading (Y- and X-axes) were simulated to evaluate strength, deformation, and energy dissipation. Results revealed a vertical ultimate bearing capacity of 338 kN (Z-axis) with stress concentrations at the column-head/base-block interface (21.8 MPa). Horizontal loading demonstrated symmetric hysteresis loops, yielding peak thrusts of 1,417 kN (Y-axis) and 747 kN (X-axis), accompanied by ductility coefficients of 2.53 and equivalent viscous damping coefficients of 0.096 (Y-axis) and 0.073 (X-axis). The vertical response followed a tri-linear stiffness degradation model, while horizontal behavior aligned with multi-linear restoring force models. These findings validate FEA as a cost-effective method for characterizing Dougong mechanics, providing critical insights for heritage timber structure conservation.

An integrated design framework was developed to optimize timber-based elderly care facilities across three critical dimensions: environmental performance, health outcomes, and economic feasibility. By systematically analyzing engineered timber’s thermal regulation, humidity control, and biophilic properties, a data-driven model was established that balances material science with spatial adaptability requirements. It was found that cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls reduce HVAC energy consumption by 17% through delayed heat transmission, while maintaining stable indoor humidity levels (40 to 60% RH), which is crucial for respiratory health. The framework achieved a 23% improvement in elderly satisfaction compared to conventional designs, which can be attributed to wood’s natural terpene emissions and optimized spatial configurations. Modular timber partitions enabled rapid layout reconfiguration (2-hour adjustments) while maintaining acoustic insulation and wheelchair accessibility standards. Lifecycle analysis revealed 14% higher cost-effectiveness through prefabrication advantages and material durability. A case study validation showed timber systems support 12% larger window areas without compromising thermal performance, confirming practical applicability. This research provides a replicable model for integrating sustainable materials with geriatric care architecture, addressing both climate challenges and aging population needs.