Volume 9 Issue 4

Collapse is considered one of the most severe defects that can occur during the drying of eucalyptus, resulting in drying degradation. Liquid tension is one of the reasons for the collapse. Some transient-collapse cells can be recovered upon the disappearance of liquid tension, when moisture content is reduced during the drying process. How to control collapse and help its recovery are key factors of drying technology. This supports the introduction of a kind of sequential drying technology to the drying process. Thus, several intermittent drying procedures were used in this study. Measurements of shrinkage and collapse were made on Eucalyptus urophylla under continuous drying as well as several kinds of intermittent drying. Key factors of the intermittent drying schedule, observed for their effect on collapse recovery, were the length of the drying periods and temperature during the intermittent periods. The microstructure of collapse under different drying schedules was examined at the cellular level using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This confirmed that intermittent drying conditions can help collapsed cells recover more thoroughly than continuous drying conditions.

Ozone bleaching generates carbonyl groups on the cellulose polymer when applied to unbleached kraft pulps. This suggests that pulp fully bleached with a totally chlorine-free (TCF) sequence may contain more oxidized groups than standard elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleached pulp. A fully bleached pulp was treated with sodium hypochlorite to form oxidized groups (mostly carbonyls) on the pure carbohydrates, which were investigated during subsequent alkaline treatment. Carbonyl groups had a strong impact on color development during alkaline treatment. Among the carbonyls, the keto groups were the most active. This was confirmed by the behavior of carbohydrate model compounds that contained aldehyde, keto, and/or carboxyl groups when subjected to alkaline conditions. A subsequent hydrogen peroxide (P) stage effectively decreased the carbonyl content, which reduced yellowing during alkaline treatment. However, the oxidized cellulose was severely depolymerized. The addition of magnesium sulfate (Mg) into the P stage minimized depolymerization while maintaining some of the carbonyls in the carbohydrates. It is proposed that Mg cations can hinder alkaline β-elimination, possibly by forming a complex with the carbonyl groups.

The effect of adding poly(ethylene co-acrylic acid) (PE-co-AA) in rubber seed shell flour (RSSF)-filled polypropylene (PP) composites on processing, mechanical, water absorption, and morphological properties was studied. The addition of PE-co-AA increased the processing torque in PP/RSSF composites. Furthermore, mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength impact strength, Young’s modulus, and flexural modulus show significant improvement compared to uncompatibilized composites, while elongation at break is reduced. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of tensile fracture specimens revealed that the dispersion of RSSF filler in the matrix improved with PE-co-AA, with fewer agglomerations. Water absorption ability of the compatibilized composites was reduced due to the improved interfacial bonding, which limits the amount of water molecules to be absorbed. PE-co-AA acted as a compatibilizer in PP/RSSF composites. Improvement in the properties of the composites was contributed by homogenization of RSSF particles in the PP matrix and reduction of voids and cracks due to improved interfacial adhesion and bonding between matrix and filler.

Recombinant bamboo with a thickness of 15 mm was drilled on a CNC machine. The process parameters considered were spindle speed, feed rate, and diameter of the drill, and the response parameters were thrust force and torque. Mathematical models were developed to establish the relationship between the process parameters and the response parameters. The results showed that the main influence on thrust force came from spindle speed and feed rate. High spindle speed with low feed rate was a combination that minimized the thrust force. The process parameters that have a major effect on torque are the diameter of the drill and the spindle speed.

Linear hydrophilic derivatives are expected to soften lignin and improve its utilization in composite applications. Oxidation by means of laccase in the presence of oxygen was employed in an attempt to functionalize commercial kraft lignin by vanillic acid-PEG ester and ether derivatives. Thielavia arenaria and Melanocarpus albomyces laccases at pH 6 and 8 were used. According to O2 consumption and the increase in molar mass, the tested laccases were active toward the lignin and the vanillic acid derivatives and also formed corresponding phenoxyl radicals. However, homogenous polymerization instead of cross-coupling and functionalization took place. As an alternative, lignin functionalization by the ester derivative by chemical oxidation under alkali-O2 conditions was also tested. Efficient lignin polymerization was observed. However, functionalization was not detected. Interestingly, a clear decrease in lignin glass transition temperature was obtained by an isolation procedure that included freeze-drying. This suggests that functionalization may not be necessary to induce the desired softening effect.

A new kind of retarding polycarboxylate superplasticizer (M20S80) was prepared through the modification of black liquor and polycarboxylate superplasticizer (S) through an Fe2+-H2O2 reaction system. The synthesis process of M20S80 was introduced. Infrared spectrum analysis (FT-IR) was used to investigate the changes in functional groups in M20S80. At the same time, a mixture of LM20S80 was made by mixing black liquor and S at a mass ratio of 1:4 directly at room temperature. In comparison with S and LM20S80, the influences of M20S80 on the properties of concrete were studied. The results indicate that M20S80 had a better water reduction rate in concrete than LM20280 and was close to S under the same conditions. Furthermore, M20S80 had a retarding effect on the early strength development of concrete, but no negative influence on strength after 28 d of curing. Finally, M20S80 with dosages of 0.45% appeared to be more effective in improving the pore structure of concrete.

Fungal decay results in gradual decomposition of compounds of wood cell walls. Mass loss of wood is usually applied to characterize the decay. However, mechanisms of brown and white rot decay are significantly different, resulting in different degradation of components of wood cell walls. Either type of wood decay should differentially influence wood ultrastructure. The traditionally applied descriptors of wood ultrastructure, i.e. crystallinity, the average spacing of the crystal planes and crystallite size, characterize the ultrastructure in an insufficient way. Crystallographic texture analysis was applied in the present study to characterize changes in wood ultrastructure as a result of brown and white rot decay. The Orientation Distribution Function (ODF) was separately determined for wood decayed by brown rot and white fungi and for several levels of mass loss. A series of crystallographic descriptors was derived from the obtained ODFs. The descriptors consisted of texture index, crystalline volume fraction, and skeleton lines of the ODF. The identified crystallographic orientations confirmed different mechanisms of wood decay for brown and white rot fungi. The observations were supported by different rates of changes of the texture index and evolution of crystalline volume fraction.

This study analyzes the critical static friction coefficient (μ0) and the static friction coefficient (μ) between work-piece and rubber belt during sanding medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board (PB). The purpose is to provide theoretical support for improving design techniques of sanding machine and choosing appropriate rubber belts for sanding. The results indicate that μ0 is a constant that can be calculated by maximum sanding force (sFMax) and maximum normal force (nFMax). Besides, there is an exponential relationship between intensity of pressure (P) and μ when work-piece is relatively static on a rubber belt. Among all sanding parameters, git size (G) has the greatest influence on μ. In single-factor experiment, we found that the smaller the nFMax is, the greater the μ is (for same rubber belts), but the variation rates of μ and nFMax are coincident. Six types of rubber belts are adopted, and the average μ of No. 1 and No. 4 are greater than others, but average μ of all the belts are lower than μ0, so when use such six types of rubber belts, a hold-down device or vacuum chuck should be equipped on the sanding machine. Patterns of rubber belts have some impact on μ, and appropriate patterns on the surface of rubber belts contribute to higher μ.

The sharp temperature changes in nature (e.g., forest fires, ice, and snow) can cause mechanical damage to trees and bamboo. The mechanical properties of Mongolia Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica) and Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) were investigated by a three-point bending test with a repeated thermal shock process (i.e., sudden changes of temperature). The experimental results indicated that the flexural modulus, flexural strength, and deformation work per volume decreased almost linearly with the increased repetition of thermal shock treatment for both Mongolia Scotch pine and Moso bamboo. The damage caused by repeated thermal shock was stronger for Mongolia Scotch pine, as compared to Moso bamboo, under the same thermal shock treatment. Thus, the experimental results provided basic data for engineering applications of Mongolia Scotch pine and Moso bamboo after natural disturbances.

Poly(vinyl chloride)/wood flour (WPVC) composites with dioctyl phthalate (DOP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), cardanol acetate (CA), or epoxy fatty acid methyl ester (EFAME) were prepared using twin-screw extrusion. The effects of plasticizers on the mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and melt rheological properties of composites and the thermal migration of plasticizers were characterized. The results demonstrated that WPVC/ DBP and WPVC/EFAME composites had better elongation at break; however, composites with bio-based plasticizers exhibited significantly higher impact strength. The morphology indicated that the compatibility between CA and WPVC was poor, while the surface of the composites showed good plasticity with the addition of DBP or EFAME. The PVC matrix with a plasticizer of higher molecular weight exhibited a higher glass transition temperature (Tg). The dynamic rheological test showed that WPVC/EFAME composites had the lowest storage modulus, loss modulus, and complex viscosity, but EFAME migrated more easily from composites than other plasticizers.