Advances in Surface Modification and Treatment of Wood

Biopolymers including natural (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, gums, natural rubbers, bacterial polymers), synthetic (e.g., aliphatic polyesters and polyphosphoester), and biocomposites are of paramount interest in regenerative medicine, due to their availability, processability, and low toxicity. Moreover, the structuration of biopolymer-based materials at the nano- and microscale along with their chemical properties are crucial in the engineering of advanced carriers for drug products. Finally, combination products including or based on biopolymers for controlled drug release offer a powerful solution to improve the tissue integration and biological response of these materials. Understanding the drug delivery mechanisms, efficiency, and toxicity of such systems may be useful for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical technology. The main aim of the Special Issue on “Biopolymers in Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine” is to gather recent findings and current advances on biopolymer research for biomedical applications, particularly in regenerative medicine, wound healing, and drug delivery. Contributions to this issue can be as original research or review articles and may cover all aspects of biopolymer research, ranging from the chemical synthesis and characterization of modified biopolymers, their processing in different morphologies and hierarchical structures, as well as their assessment for biomedical uses

European Union Timber Regulation Impact on International Timber Markets

The trade of illegal timber, often from illegal logging, has severe environmental, social and economic consequences. The EU’s response to this problem came with the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, with its specific goal to end illegal logging, thereby improving sustainability of forest resources. In March 2013, an additional step was taken by implementing the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The EUTR requires proof of timber’s origin and legality to ensure that no illegal timber is imported into the EU. To this end the EU intends to block imports of any wood or wood product which comes from unknown sources. Certification of sustainable forest management will help EU importers minimize risk, which is an essential part of their required due diligence system. Monitoring organizations are established to assist trade associations and businesses to construct comprehensive due diligence systems. National competent authorities are designated to follow the trade of the new FLEGT-licensed timber and timber products. In the first year of the EUTR there are positive impacts, of which the most important is awareness of the disastrous situation with illegal logging, driven by exports of illegal timber. Another positive development is tropical timber exporters documenting the legality of their wood exports. Yet another positive feature is establishment of due diligence systems by EU importers. However, there are considerable problems for ensuring legal trade; for example the lack of comprehensive documentation of origin and legality. Analysis of recent trends establishes changes in the European timber trade in terms of sourcing, substitution, diversion to less-demanding countries. Short-term forecasts of market trends and changes will enable further policy assessment to achieve the objectives of improved legality in international timber markets.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat

Textile materials

In this specialised publication, the reader will find research results and real engineering developments in the field of modern technical textiles. Modern technical textile materials, ranging from ordinary reinforcing fabrics in the construction and production of modern composite materials to specialised textile materials in the composition of electronics, sensors and other intelligent devices, play an important role in many areas of human technical activity. The use of specialized textiles, for example, in medicine makes it possible to achieve important results in diagnostics, prosthetics, surgical practice and the practice of using specialized fabrics at the health recovery stage. The use of reinforcing fabrics in construction can significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete and various plaster mixtures, which increases the reliability and durability of various structures and buildings in general. In mechanical engineering, the use of composite materials reinforced with special textiles can simultaneously reduce weight and improve the mechanical properties of machine parts. Fabric- reinforced composites occupy a significant place in the automotive industry, aerospace engineering, and shipbuilding. Here, the mechanical reliability and thermal resistance of the body material of the product, along with its low weight, are very relevant. The presented edition will be useful and interesting for engineers and researchers whose activities are related to the design, production and application of various technical textile materials

Assessment, Diagnosis and Service Life Prediction

Service life prediction is crucial for the adoption of more sustainable solutions, allowing developers to optimize the costs and environmental impact of buildings during their life cycle. An accurate assessment of the service life of buildings requires a thorough understanding of the degradation mechanisms and behaviour of the construction materials. Building pathology assessment methods characterize the deterioration state of buildings, using specific measurable properties as indicators. Based on this information, different service life prediction methodologies can be defined to provide reliable data concerning the most probable failure time of whole buildings and individual components according to their characteristics and their age. This Special Issue provides new perspectives on the existing knowledge related with various aspects of the Assessment, Diagnosis and Service Life Prediction of buildings and their components. The ten original research studies published in this Special Issue result from research centres and university departments of Civil and Construction Engineering, Safety Management, Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Architecture and the Built Environment, with relevant contributions from experts from Australia, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Norway, Portugal, and Taiwan. The studies included in this Special Issue address topics related to: Building pathology assessment methods; Diagnosis of defects in buildings and components; Appropriate intervention and repair techniques; Deterministic and stochastic service life prediction models

The conservation of panel paintings and related objects

Until the early 17th century almost all portable paintings were created on wood supports, including masterpieces by famous painters, ranging from Giotto to Dürer to Rembrandt. The structural conservation of these paintings requires specific knowledge and skills as the supports are susceptible to damage caused by unstable environmental conditions. Unfortunately, past structural interventions often caused significant damage due to insufficient knowledge of the behaviour of the wood panels, glue and paint layers. Over the last fifty years, the field has developed treatment strategies based on interdisciplinary collaboration and on the knowledge of specialist conservators. Most current conservation protocols rely on empirical knowledge of conservators and are not necessarily based on a scientific understanding of the nature and behaviour of wood and paint layers. In order to move the field forward, it is imperative to strengthen scientific research into the production methods, ageing and future behaviour of panel paintings, being an intricate interplay between different materials. A deeper understanding of the processes that adversely affect panel paintings over time will contribute to the improved care and conservation of these artworks. The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam brought together a group of experts from different disciplines to recommend specific areas in the field that would benefit from systematic research. The experts concluded that targeted interdisciplinary research projects are key to understanding the behaviour of panel paintings and help conservators make better informed decisions. Research into chemical and physical properties of wood, glue and paint layers should be combined with an evaluation of past and current conservation treatments. Research should also consider the history of the object, studio practice, conservation history and thoughts on long-term impact of treatments

The conservation of panel paintings and related objects

Until the early 17th century almost all portable paintings were created on wood supports, including masterpieces by famous painters, ranging from Giotto to Dürer to Rembrandt. The structural conservation of these paintings requires specific knowledge and skills as the supports are susceptible to damage caused by unstable environmental conditions. Unfortunately, past structural interventions often caused significant damage due to insufficient knowledge of the behaviour of the wood panels, glue and paint layers. Over the last fifty years, the field has developed treatment strategies based on interdisciplinary collaboration and on the knowledge of specialist conservators. Most current conservation protocols rely on empirical knowledge of conservators and are not necessarily based on a scientific understanding of the nature and behaviour of wood and paint layers. In order to move the field forward, it is imperative to strengthen scientific research into the production methods, ageing and future behaviour of panel paintings, being an intricate interplay between different materials. A deeper understanding of the processes that adversely affect panel paintings over time will contribute to the improved care and conservation of these artworks. The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam brought together a group of experts from different disciplines to recommend specific areas in the field that would benefit from systematic research. The experts concluded that targeted interdisciplinary research projects are key to understanding the behaviour of panel paintings and help conservators make better informed decisions. Research into chemical and physical properties of wood, glue and paint layers should be combined with an evaluation of past and current conservation treatments. Research should also consider the history of the object, studio practice, conservation history and thoughts on long-term impact of treatments

"Natural Fiber Based Composites", edited by Philippe Evon (Printed Edition of the Special Issue Published in Coatings)

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Natural Fiber Based Composites" that was published in Coatings and edited by Dr. Philippe Evon. Dr. EVON is Research Engineer at the Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-industrielle (LCA). He has the habilitation to supervise researches (HDR). He specializes in the valorization of wastes from biomass to produce extracts and to design agromaterials. He is mainly developing studies for using biomass as raw material for: - Producing bioactive extracts through fractionation processes using “green” solvents and the twin-screw extrusion technology as continuous extraction technique. - The manufacture of agromaterials by combining single- or twin-screw extrusion technologies with molding processes (e.g. injection-molding or thermopressing). He is the Manager of the LCA’s Industrial Technological Hall “AGROMAT” dedicated to agromaterial’s (https://www6.toulouse.inra.fr/lca/AGROMAT), which is located in Tarbes (South-West of France)