Effects of borate impregnation on the response of wood strength to heat treatment |
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Authors: | L Awoyemi U Westermark |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Forestry, University of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria |
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Abstract: | Based on the strong correlation between acidity and thermal degradation in wood reported in previous studies, the effect of
borate impregnation as an alkali-buffering medium was investigated on the strength properties of thermally modified wood.
Wood samples were impregnated with 0.1 M Sodium borate solution (pH=9) before they were subjected to heat treatment at temperatures
of 180°C and 200°C for durations of 2 and 4 h. The borate impregnation results in some reductions in the severity of strength
loss during heat treatment and this is invariably due to buffering effect of the alkali on the acidity of wood, which could
have mitigated the degree of degradation. The positive effects of borate impregnation as a pretreatment on the strength properties
of heat-treated wood depend on the degree of heat treatment. Hence, the use of borate impregnation as a pretreatment method
for heat treatment is recommended only where a relatively mild heat treatment is involved. |
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Keywords: | Borate-impregnation Heat-treatment Wood-response Density Weight Strength |
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