Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood

This study aimed to compare two thermal modification (TM) schedules—with short and long heating phases—and their influence on the properties of maple (<i>Acer pseudoplatanus</i> L.) and ash (<i>Fraxinus excelsior</i> L.) wood. Two TM runs were conducted in industrial conditio...

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Main Authors: Goran Milić, Nebojša Todorović, Marko Veizović, Ranko Popadić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/2/189
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author Goran Milić
Nebojša Todorović
Marko Veizović
Ranko Popadić
author_facet Goran Milić
Nebojša Todorović
Marko Veizović
Ranko Popadić
author_sort Goran Milić
collection DOAJ
description This study aimed to compare two thermal modification (TM) schedules—with short and long heating phases—and their influence on the properties of maple (<i>Acer pseudoplatanus</i> L.) and ash (<i>Fraxinus excelsior</i> L.) wood. Two TM runs were conducted in industrial conditions (open system, steam atmosphere; substantially longer method compared to the processes usually described in the literature), with the same peak phase (200 °C, 3 h), but with different heating rates—slow (1.1 °C/h) and fast (2.5 °C/h). The results revealed that both TMs significantly reduced hygroscopicity and swelling of wood, but the influence of slow heating rate—through prolonged exposure of wood to relatively high temperatures—on dimensional stability was more pronounced. The modulus of elasticity, compressive strength and Brinell hardness remained mostly unchanged after TM (except for fast-modified maple), while the modulus of rupture was strongly reduced by TM in both species. It is assumed—at least in the case of maple wood—that a combination of initial moisture content above 8% and fast heating rate during TM can cause more intensive degradation of wood polymers. Relatively small differences in colour between slow- and fast-modified wood were found. The results confirmed the hypothesis that the heating phase is an important part of the TM schedule, and it can directly affect (together with peak temperature and time) certain wood properties.
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spelling doaj.art-6db36eb9a3a641cf9b7faa5d1939ad872023-11-16T20:32:32ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-01-0114218910.3390/f14020189Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash WoodGoran Milić0Nebojša Todorović1Marko Veizović2Ranko Popadić3Department of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, SerbiaThis study aimed to compare two thermal modification (TM) schedules—with short and long heating phases—and their influence on the properties of maple (<i>Acer pseudoplatanus</i> L.) and ash (<i>Fraxinus excelsior</i> L.) wood. Two TM runs were conducted in industrial conditions (open system, steam atmosphere; substantially longer method compared to the processes usually described in the literature), with the same peak phase (200 °C, 3 h), but with different heating rates—slow (1.1 °C/h) and fast (2.5 °C/h). The results revealed that both TMs significantly reduced hygroscopicity and swelling of wood, but the influence of slow heating rate—through prolonged exposure of wood to relatively high temperatures—on dimensional stability was more pronounced. The modulus of elasticity, compressive strength and Brinell hardness remained mostly unchanged after TM (except for fast-modified maple), while the modulus of rupture was strongly reduced by TM in both species. It is assumed—at least in the case of maple wood—that a combination of initial moisture content above 8% and fast heating rate during TM can cause more intensive degradation of wood polymers. Relatively small differences in colour between slow- and fast-modified wood were found. The results confirmed the hypothesis that the heating phase is an important part of the TM schedule, and it can directly affect (together with peak temperature and time) certain wood properties.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/2/189thermal modificationheating ratemapleash woodwood properties
spellingShingle Goran Milić
Nebojša Todorović
Marko Veizović
Ranko Popadić
Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
Forests
thermal modification
heating rate
maple
ash wood
wood properties
title Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
title_full Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
title_fullStr Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
title_full_unstemmed Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
title_short Heating Rate during Thermal Modification in Steam Atmosphere: Influence on the Properties of Maple and Ash Wood
title_sort heating rate during thermal modification in steam atmosphere influence on the properties of maple and ash wood
topic thermal modification
heating rate
maple
ash wood
wood properties
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/2/189
work_keys_str_mv AT goranmilic heatingrateduringthermalmodificationinsteamatmosphereinfluenceonthepropertiesofmapleandashwood
AT nebojsatodorovic heatingrateduringthermalmodificationinsteamatmosphereinfluenceonthepropertiesofmapleandashwood
AT markoveizovic heatingrateduringthermalmodificationinsteamatmosphereinfluenceonthepropertiesofmapleandashwood
AT rankopopadic heatingrateduringthermalmodificationinsteamatmosphereinfluenceonthepropertiesofmapleandashwood