Detection of lignans in western hemlock by radiography

Summary Evidence of the detection by radiography of -conidendrin and hydroxymatairesinol, major lignans of western hemlock wood, is presented. Advantages of this new technique to wood chemists, as well as implications to wood technologists in terms of erroneous measurement of the specific gravity of unextracted wood by X-ray densitometry, are discussed.The authors thank R. M. Kellogg of the Western Forest Products Laboratory for his helpful discussions. This research was supported in part through grants to J.H.G. Smith, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Forestry, from the National Research Council of Canada (Grant No. A-2077) and the British Columbia Forest Service.     

On the loss factor of wood during radio frequency heating

 The radial direction loss factor of full-size western hemlock sapwood and heartwood, as well as western red cedar heartwood timbers was measured using the direct calorimetric method with a laboratory-scale radio frequency/vacuum dryer at the frequency of 13.56 MHz, moisture content range between 10 and 80%, temperature range between 25 and 55 °C, and root mean square (rms) electrode voltages of 0.8 and 1.1 kV, respectively. The results indicated that the moisture content, temperature, electric field strength and wood type significantly affected the loss factor. Empirical regression equations were derived based on the experimental data that made possible the calculation of the loss factor and power density within wood during RF heating. Received 18 January 1997     

H-NMR studies of water interactions in sitka spruce and western hemlock: moisture content determination and second moments

Summary The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the moisture level on the cell-wall material in wood using pulsed proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The wood species used were western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.), distinguishing between heartwood and sapwood regions. The moisture contents of the specimens were below the fibre saturation point and they were conditioned to equilibrium moisture contents based on initial desorption, adsorption and secondary desorption processes. From the FID experiments, the NMR-based moisture contents and the solid-wood lineshape second moments were determined. Average relative proton-spin densities, which were needed to calculate the NMR-based moisture contents, were determined from known moisture contents and they were: hemlock sapwood: 0.616; hemlock heartwood: 0.537; spruce sapwood: 0.679; and, spruce heartwood: 0.446. The average RSD value, considering both heartwood and sapwood, for western hemlock species was 0.577 and for sitka spruce was 0.563; these are close to published RSD values for other species. The condition as to how the equilibrium moisture content was attained did not influence the second moment for hemlock; however, for spruce sapwood, the second moments were sorption dependent. The hemlock M₂ decreased from about 5.1 × 10⁹ s^-2 at low M_NMR to 4.5 × 10⁹ s^-2 (heartwood) and 4.3 × 10⁹ s^-2 (sapwood) at higher m_nmr. The adsorption and secondary desorption M₂ for the spruce sapwood region decreased from about 5.0 × 10⁹ s^-2 at low m_nmr to about 4.1 × 10⁹ s^-2 near the M_F, whereas M₂ for the spruce heartwood decreased from about 4.3 × 10⁹ s^-2 at low M_NMR to about 3.5 × 10⁹ s^-2 near M_F. Extractives may have a key role in obtaining the RSD and second moments.This project was financially supported by the Science Council of British Columbia, MacMillan Bloedel Research. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is acknowledged for their support of the NMR spectrometer measurements     

不同干燥方法对杉木人工林木材浸注性的影响

采用高频真空干燥、常规窑干和高温干燥3种方法对杉木人工林木材的心、边板材进行干燥处理,用毛细管上升法评价干燥后试样的浸注性能,用半薄切片法测定干燥试样具缘纹孔的闭塞率,最后用扫描电子显微镜观察干燥试样微观构造的变化,比较分析3种干燥方法对杉木人工林木材浸注性的影响机理.结果表明:对于杉木边材,经高频真空干燥后试样的浸注性显著高于常规干燥和高温干燥后试样的浸注性,后2种干燥方法对试样浸注性影响的差异并不显著;对于杉木心材,高频真空干燥与高温干燥后试样的浸注性存在显著差异,而高频真空干燥与常规干燥之间、高温干燥与常规干燥之间对试样浸注性的影响差异均不显著;3种干燥方法处理后,杉木边材的浸注性均显著高于心材的浸注性;具缘纹孔的闭塞率较低以及部分具缘纹孔周缘破裂是高频真空干燥后木材浸注性提高的主要原因.     

The significance of anomalous extractives in heart-shakes in Dacrydium species

Summary Morphological and chemical examinations of the extractives of the tissues and shake contents of eight Dacrydium and one Podocarpus species have been made. The whitish deposits in heart-shakes are without exception mainly podocarpic acid (PCA). This compound occurs also in the tissue of samples but only when shakes are found nearby. Accordingly PCA is regarded as an anomalous extractive, synthesized in response to those conditions resulting in shake formation. In samples with shakes PCA is present in very small amounts at the sapwood-heartwood boundary and in one sample there were traces even in the innermost sapwood. It was notable that shakes containing deposits can arise in those Dacrydium species with coloured heartwood and with a known tendency for wetwood formation. On the other hand Dacrydium franklinii does not develop coloured heartwood or wetwood or shakes, and the lack of these features may have taxonomic significance.The third author expresses his gratitude to the Division of Building Research, CSIRO, Highett, Vic., for a visiting Fellowship during 1974.     

Wood drying process: impact on Scots pine lumber durability

There are indications that the drying process may have negative effects on the natural durability of wood. The impact of various drying processes on the durability of Scots pine lumber has been evaluated with mass loss in a decay test with brown rot fungus, Coniophora puteana, as measure of the decay resistance of sapwood and inner and outer heartwood. Drying with or without steam conditioning was performed in six different series: air drying, kiln drying at temperature ranges commonly used in Swedish sawmills at 70°C and 90°C with two different regulation principles, and one high-temperature drying at 110°C. Durability varied considerably both between and within boards. Sapwood showed considerable less durability than heartwood. No difference in durability was found between inner heartwood and outer heartwood. Air-dried heartwood showed the highest durability compared to other drying series. The lowest durability in sapwood and heartwood was found for series dried at the 90°C temperature level with high material temperature early in drying. The interpretation is that the duration of high material temperature at high moisture content (MC) is the critical combination for decay resistance in heartwood. Steam conditioning after drying decreased durability in sapwood.     

Radial patterns of carbon isotopes in the xylem extractives and cellulose of Douglas-fir

Heartwood extractives (nonstructural wood components) are believed to be formed from a combination of compounds present in the adjacent sapwood and materials imported from the phloem. The roles of local compounds and imported material in heartwood formation could have important implications for the wood quality of species having naturally durable wood. Stable isotope composition (delta(13)C) was analyzed to assess radial variation in sapwood extractives, and to estimate the relative importance of adjacent sapwood extractives and imported photosynthate in the formation of heartwood extractives. Cellulose and extractives from the outer 39 annual rings of six Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees were isolated and their delta(13)C composition determined. Although the extractives and the cellulose showed different absolute delta(13)C values, the patterns of change over time (as represented by the annual rings) were similar in most cases. Within an annual ring, carbon isotope ratios of extractives were correlated with the cellulose isotope ratio (R2 = 0.33 in sapwood, R2 = 0.34 in heartwood for aqueous acetone-soluble extractives; R2 = 0.41 in sapwood for hot-water-soluble extractives). These data suggest that some sapwood extractives are formed when the wood ring forms, and remain in place until they are converted to heartwood extractives many years later. Sapwood extractives appear to be important sources of materials for the biosynthesis of heartwood extractives in Douglas-fir.     

Determination and use of moisture diffusion coefficient to characterize drying of northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

Summary Diffusion analysis can be used to estimate the time required to dry lumber. However, more accurate calculations require additional information on the relationship between the diffusion coefficient as a function of moisture content and on the effects of temperature, equilibrium moisture content, board thickness, and air velocity on drying time and moisture gradients. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to determine the diffusion coefficient of northern red oak (Quercus rubra) as a function of moisture content and (2) to compare experimentally determined sorption times and moisture content gradients with those calculated by the diffusion model. The diffusion coefficient was found to increase approximately exponentially with moisture content over a range of 6 to 30 percent at 43°C. This relationship was similar in both adsorption and desorption tests. Experimental adsorption and desorption times and desorption moisture content gradients were compared with finite difference solutions to the diffusion equation. Practical uses of solutions to the diffusion equation are illustrated for kiln drying wood that has first been predried to below the fiber saturation point. Drying time is also related to variable kiln conditions and board thickness.This research was partially funded under the U. S. Department of Agriculture Competitive Grant programThe Forest Products Laboratory is maintained in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin. This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time     

Variation of extractives content in heartwood and sapwood of Eucalyptus globulus trees

The variation in extractives content in sapwood and heartwood was investigated among 12 trees in each of four commercial plantations of Eucalyptus globulus in central Portugal. The study was carried out at the 15% height level and extractions used successively dichloromethane, ethanol and water. At all sites, heartwood had significantly more extractives than sapwood, on average 3.8 and 2.4%, respectively. Most extractives consisted of ethanol soluble material (on average 52% of total extractives). Among the sites, there was a statistically significant difference in the content of extractives but the most important source of variation was the within-tree variation between sapwood and heartwood. Differences in the content of extractives were also observed among trees. A strong relation between extractives content and heartwood proportion was found. The potential loss of pulp yield and problems associated with accumulation of extractives are directly related to the heartwood proportion in the eucalypt stems. Forest management should take into account heartwood development and selection for minimising heartwood extractives.     

The influence of heartwood on the pulping properties of Acacia melanoxylon wood

The pulping wood quality of Acacia melanoxylon was evaluated in relation to the presence of heartwood. The sapwood and heartwood from 20 trees from four sites in Portugal were evaluated separately at 5% stem height level in terms of chemical composition and kraft pulping aptitude. Heartwood had more extractives than sapwood ranging from 7.4% to 9.5% and from 4.0% to 4.2%, respectively, and with a heartwood-to-sapwood ratio for extractives ranging from 1.9 to 2.3. The major component of heartwood extractives was made up of ethanol-soluble compounds (70% of total extractives). Lignin content was similar in sapwood and heartwood (21.5% and 20.7%, respectively) as well as the sugar composition. Site did not influence the chemical composition. Pulping heartwood differed from sapwood in chemical and optical terms: lower values of pulp yield (53% vs 56% respectively), higher kappa number (11 vs. 7), and lower brightness (28% vs 49%). Acacia melanoxylon wood showed an overall good pulping aptitude, but the presence of heartwood should be taken into account because it decreases the raw-material quality for pulping. Heartwood content should therefore be considered as a quality variable when using A. melanoxylon wood in pulp industries     

Climate control in vacuum dryers for convective heat transfer

The European Drying Group (EDG) proposal on a wood drying quality standard defines demands on final moisture content variation of the dried wood. The final moisture content variation will depend on material parameters as well as the production process and the wood will always show a “natural” moisture content variation after drying. Thus the drying process has to be defined well enough to allow for the natural moisture content variation in order to fulfil the demands of the drying standards. As the average equilibrium moisture content of the wood in a vacuum drying kiln with pure steam atmosphere is determined by the pressure and the temperature, the demands on the climate control system to fulfil the demands of the drying standard can be calculated with regard to the natural moisture content variation of the wood. In the first part of this contribution the demands on climate control in vacuum dryers are calculated based on the EDG-standard and the natural moisture content variation. In the second part of the contribution the demands on climate control are compared with climate and moisture content measurements from industrial production in vacuum kilns. Critical factors in kiln design and climate control system design necessary to maintain a controlled drying climate are listed.     

Cooling and steam conditioning after high-temperature drying of Pinus radiata board: experimental investigation and mathematical modelling

 Steam conditioning of softwood boards after kiln drying is of critical importance for relief of residual drying stresses and to improve distribution of final moisture content. The conditioning practice in New Zealand includes two steps: immediately after high temperature (HT) drying the load is cooled until the core wood temperature is 75 to 90°C, and then the stack is steam conditioned for a period of 1 to 4 hours depending on the lumber thickness and moisture content after drying. In this work, experimental and theoretical studies were performed to better understand the conditioning process and to investigate factors which influence its effectiveness. In the experiment, 50 mm thick Pinus radiata sapwood boards were first dried at 120/70°C for 11, 12, 13, 16 and 18 hours, respectively, to varying moisture contents, and then cooled and steam conditioned for 1 hour. To assess the effectiveness of conditioning, moisture pick-up, moisture gradient, and transverse residual drying stress (indicated by cup and strain) were measured. It was found that drying wood to a low moisture content (below 6%) increased the conditioning effectiveness. A separate matched stack was conditioned for 4 hours after 13 hours drying which showed better results than 1 hour conditioning. A mathematical model for wood drying was extended to include both the cooling and conditioning phases. The model was numerically solved to examine the wood temperature and moisture content changes during the whole process of drying, cooling and final steam conditioning. Increase in wood temperature, moisture pickup and moisture gradient during steam conditioning were predicted and validated by the experimental data. This information is currently being used at the New Zealand Forest Research Institute in simulation of stress development and relief for drying of Pinus radiata lumber. Received 6 July 1998     

Spectrophotometric assay of a wood preservative, didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), in aqueous solution

A spectrophotometric assay based on the color reaction between didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) and 4-[4-(dipropylamino)phenylazo]-benzenesulfonic acid (propyl orange) was used for the determination of DDAC as a wood preservative. The assay was carried out using a propyl orange solution at pH 2.9. The visible absorbance spectrum of propyl orange showed an absorbance maximum at 510 nm, which decreased continuously with increasing DDAC concentration from 0 to 20 ppm. A linear correlation was observed at a DDAC concentration lower than 8 ppm. To apply this assay method to determine DDAC retention in treated wood, the influence of wood extractives on the assay was investigated. Wood extractives from sapwood and heartwood of Japanese cedar, Hinoki cypress, Japanese larch, and Western hemlock showed no influence on DDAC determination except in the case of heartwood from Japanese cedar and Hinoki cypress, which gave apparent DDAC concentrations higher than the actual values. However, it was also found that absorbance measurement at 477 nm solved this overestimation and gave precise values. It was concluded that this assay is a viable alternative to the current methods for DDAC determination.     

Wood properties of juvenile and mature heartwood in Robinia pseudoacacia L.

The aim of this study is to characterise the properties of juvenile and mature heartwood of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Content, composition and the subcellular distribution of heartwood extractives were studied in 14 old-growth trees from forest sites in Germany and Hungary as well as in 16 younger trees of four clone types. Heartwood extractives (methanol and acetone extraction) were analysed by HPLC-chromatography. UV microspectrophotometry was used to topochemically localise the extractives in the cell walls. The natural durability of the juvenile and mature heartwood was analysed according to the European standard EN 350-1. Growth as well as chemical analyses showed that, based on extractives content, the formation of juvenile wood in black locust is restricted to the first 10–20 years of cambial growth. In mature heartwood, high contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were present, localised in high concentrations in the cell walls and cell lumen of axial parenchyma and vessels. In juvenile wood, the content of these extractives is significantly lower. Juvenile wood had a correspondingly lower resistance to decay by Coniophora puteana (brown rot fungus) and Coriolus versicolor (white rot fungus) than mature heartwood.     

Dependence of colour and discolouration on total extractive content of African Padauk and Jatoba

This study is about relationships between total extractive contents, heartwood colour and light-induced discolourations of the tropical species African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub) and Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril L.). Wood surface colour was measured spectrophotometrically before and after light irradiation. Subsequently, the total extractive content was determined and linked to the colour parameters. Total extractive content varied between 6 % (Jatoba) and 27 % (African Padauk). The fact that non-irradiated Jatoba appeared lighter and more yellow with higher extractives contents, opposed the often assumed relationship that more heartwood extractives cause darker wood. For light-irradiated Jatoba wood only the reddishness was more intense when samples had higher extractive content. In contrast, light-irradiated African Padauk showed significant differences in all colour parameters as extractives varied. High overall colour change in African Padauk due to light irradiation was observed; however, no relationship with the extractive content existed. In contrast, discolouration rate of Jatoba wood strongly varied with its extractive content. Individual wood species react differently during exposure to light and therefore require specific surface treatment to maintain the desired colour appearance and colour stability.     

3种不同处理方法对木材渗透性影响的研究

本文通过对长白鱼鳞云杉和臭冷杉生材分别进行普通气干处理和酒精置换处理以及对其气干材进行水浸处理,研究了这３种不同处理方法对木材气渗透性的影响及其影响机理。研究结果表明,长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心村的生材经普通气干处理后,其气体渗透性较低,分别约为０．１１４、０．０４５和０．１１１ｄａｒｃｙ;长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心材的生材经酒精置换处理后,其气体渗透性分别约为１１．７１３、０．０７４和０．１４４ｄａｒｃｙ,比普通气干处理对照组试样的平均渗透性分别增加约１０１．５倍、６２％和３０％,ｔ检验表明,前者差异非常显著,但后两者差异不显著;已气干１８个月的长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心材经水浸处理后,其平均气体浸透性较处理前分别增加约８５％、４９％、６５．５％,ｔ检验表明差异均显著。长白鱼鳞云杉生材边材经     

Effect of different drying methods on liquid penetration of Chinese fir plantation wood

Chinese fir plantation sapwood and heartwood boards were treated by three drying methods: radio frequency-vacuum drying (RFVD), conventional kiln drying (KD) and high temperature drying (HTD). The maximum amount of dyeing solution uptake by the capillary rising method was used to evaluate the liquid penetration of the treated wood. The pit aspiration ratio was determined by a semithin section method. Changes in wood microstructure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The results show that liquid penetration of Chinese fir sapwood after RFVD is significantly higher than that after KD and HTD. Liquid penetration of Chinese fir heartwood after RFVD is higher than that after HTD. Liquid penetration of Chinese fir sapwood is significantly higher than that of heartwood after three drying treatments. Low pit aspiration ratio and cracks of some bordered pits are the main reasons for the increase in liquid penetration after RFVD treatment. __________ Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2006, 42(10): 85–90 [译自: 林业科学]     

洞庭湖区美洲黑杨湿心材化学特性及遗传变异

对洞庭湖区12个美洲黑杨品种的木材化学组分和湿心材比例及其遗传变异进行分析.结果表明:美洲黑杨湿心材中的灰分、1％氢氧化钠抽出物等化学特性均高于正常材;对他们进行相关分析表明,湿心材比例与胸径、灰分含量、酸不溶木素含量和多戊糖含量呈不显著负相关,与1％氢氧化钠抽出物含量呈不显著正相关;12个美洲黑杨品种间湿心材比例在0...     

Some factors influencing susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis)

Abstract

The heartwood and sapwood from Scots pine (PS), Norway spruce (PA), and Oriental spruce (PO) were tested for susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake. In addition, annual ring width and density were measured. The methods used were Mycologg for testing growth of fungi and a modified version of EN 927-5 to investigate water uptake. For pine, the heartwood showed a lower water uptake and no discoloring fungi growing in the tests. The heartwood had a significantly higher density and smaller annual ring width than the sapwood. In PA the heartwood had significantly lower discoloration than sapwood. The total water uptake in g/m² was significantly higher in sapwood, but not the calculated moisture content. As for wood properties, the density was significantly higher in sapwood compared to heartwood, although there were no differences in annual ring width. Regarding PO, differences in water uptake could be seen between sapwood and heartwood although the densities were similar. These results show that susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake is hard to correlate to a single inherent property when looking at different wood species.     

Stochastic numerical model for conventional kiln drying of timbers

A numerical model that predicts the stochastic dispersion associated with industrial kiln drying of timber was adapted to conventional drying and evaluated with experimental data. The theoretical aspects of the model are briefly explained, a selection of the calibration parameters was carried out, and a new empirical dispersion factor is proposed to account for all unknown sources of random behavior. The model was calibrated with six experimental runs of western hemlock and amabilis fir (116mm² timbers) to an average moisture content (target) of 14%–20%. It was found that with implementation of the dispersion factor, the number of required simulations is considerably reduced, the calibration results are consistent for all the experimental runs, and the target moisture content along with its standard deviation can be well reproduced using the all-run average parameters.