Sampling sufficiency for mechanical properties of wood

Based on most recently published studies, there is a large variability in both the mechanical properties of wood and sample sizes selected to evaluate them. This study aims to define sampling sufficiency for some mechanical properties of wood, which were bending strength, bending modulus, compressive strength, compressive modulus, hardness, and shear strength. The mechanical tests were carried out according to the ASTM D143 on wood samples cut from clonal Eucalyptus planted in southern Brazil. Sampling sufficiency was determined by an intensive computational method based on resampling of original data using Monte Carlo simulations. The experimental tests data conformed to the normal distribution and most of the obtained sufficient sample sizes determined by Monte Carlo simulation were above those sample sizes used in most already published studies. Furthermore, properties related to wood stiffness presented smaller variabilities than their respective properties associated with wood strength, leading to smaller sample sizes for the former cases

Cement-wood composites : effects of wood species, particle treatments and mix proportion

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of wood species, particle treatments and mix proportion on the physical (density) and mechanical (compressive strength and dynamicmodulus of elasticity) properties of cement-wood composites. Different mix proportions were investigated, based on the cement: wood ratio of 0.3:0.7, in volume, with Pinus elliottii and Eucalyptus grandis sawdust percentages of 0-100, 25-75, 50-50, 75-25 or 100-0. Sawdust particles were pre-treated with either lime or cement coating to improve cement and wood compatibility. Results show that wood species, particle treatments and mix proportions may influence the physical and mechanical properties of cement-wood composites. In general, results confirm that Eucalyptus sawdust and cement are naturally compatible and do not require any previous particle treatment to avoid compatibility problems

Wood Flour Modified by Poly(furfuryl alcohol) as a Filler in Rigid Polyurethane Foams: Effect on Water Uptake

The use of lignocellulosic fillers in rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) has been receiving great attention due to their good mechanical and insulation properties and the high sustainable appeal of the obtained cellular polymers, although high water uptakes are found in most of these systems. To mitigate this detrimental effect, RPUFs filled with wood flour (2.5% wt) were fabricated with the addition of furfuryl alcohol (FA) to create a polymer grafted with the wood filler. Two concentrations of FA (10 wt% and 15 wt%) were investigated in relation to the wood flour, and the RPUFs were characterized for cell morphology, density, compressive properties, thermal stability, and water uptake. The introduction of wood flour as a filler decreased the cell size and increased the anisotropy index of the RPUFs and, in addition to that, the FA grafting increased these effects even more. In general, there were no significant changes in both mechanical and thermal properties ascribed to the incorporation of the fillers. On the other hand, a reduction of up to 200% in water uptake was ascribed to the FA-treated fillers.This work was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education—CAPES (code 001), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development—CNPq (Financial code 301758/2019-0) and the University of Basque Country (COLAB20/04)

Monitoramento da temperatura no interior de chapas aglomeradas durante o processo de prensagem.

The objective of the present work was to investigate the behaviour of core and face temperatures of particleboard glued with 8% tannin-formaldehyde adhesive. The boards were manufactured with three replication per treatment, with density of 0,7 g/cm³ and 27 kgf/cm² of pressing specific pressure. Pine flakes (40, 75 and 110 mm long and 0,5 and 1,0 mm thick) and eucalypt particles were used and two pressing temperatures (140 and 180ºC) along with two mat moisture content (17 and 21%) were employed. The curves of temperature rise with pressing time indicated a fast temperature rise during the first 100 seconds of pressing, remaining at a plateau possible after reaching water boiling temperature. The temperature increased again, but on a more gradual form, after the lost mat moisture. It was possible to observe that mat formed by flakes of larger thicknesses showed faster initial temperature rise. The main factor that influenced the temperature behaviour at the board core was the mat moisture content. The higher the mat moisture content, the faster the temperature rise.O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar o comportamento da temperatura nas faces e no miolo de chapas de partículas aglomeradas, coladas com 8% de adesivo (base peso seco das partículas) tanino-formaldeído. As chapas foram produzidas com três repetições por tratamento, com massa específica nominal de 0,7 g/cm³ e pressão específica de prensagem de 27 kgf/cm². Os tratamentos basearam-se na utilização de flocos de pinus (Pinus elliottii) e partículas de eucalipto (Eucalytus sp), sendo que os flocos de pinus apresentavam três diferentes comprimentos nominais (40, 75 e 110 mm) e duas espessuras (0,5 e 1,0 mm). Também foram analisados duas temperaturas de prensagem (140 e 180°C) e dois teores de umidade nominal do colchão (17 e 21%). A temperatura no interior dos painéis durante a prensagem foi obtida por meio de fios para termopares tipo K (cromo-alumel). Os gráficos da temperatura em função do tempo de prensagem mostraram uma rápida elevação da temperatura nos primeiros 100 segundos de prensagem, mantendo-se num plateau possivelmente após atingir a temperatura de ebulição da água. A temperatura voltou a aumentar, de forma mais gradual, após a perda de grande parte da umidade do colchão. Observa-se que colchões formados por flocos de maior espessura apresentaram elevação mais rápida de temperatura no miolo. O principal fator que influenciou na velocidade de elevação da temperatura no miolo dos painéis aglomerados foi o teor de umidade do colchão, sendo que quanto maior o teor de umidade, mais rápida foi a elevação da temperatura

Wood under fresh water: Effect on the chemical properties and on decay resistance

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of waterlogging on the chemical properties and on decay resistance of two fast-growing eucalypt species. Samples of spotted gum and rose gum wood were placed underwater and taken out at different times: after 4, 8 and 12 months. Chemical properties were performed via wet chemical quantification (Tappi standards), monomeric sugars by HPLC, and qualitative evaluation of extractives by Py-GC/MS and ATR-IR spectroscopy; biological performance was investigated using Trametes versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum rot fungi. The results showed slight changes to the chemical properties of both wood species, with an increase in lignin represented by the reduction of sugars due to waterlogging. Both species showed higher susceptibility to Gloeophyllum trabeum mainly in the sapwood, with no influence on decay resistance due the waterlogging