Summarizes information on wood as an engineering material. Presents properties of wood and wood-based products of particular concern to the architect and engineer. Includes discussion of designing with wood and wood-based products along with some pertinent uses.

Wood handbook : wood as an engineering material

Production of liquid biofuels from renewable resources

Pieter Baas – Leiden, The Netherlands Nadezhda Blokhina – Vladivostok, Russia Tomoyuki Fujii – Ibaraki, Japan Peter Gasson – Kew, UK Dietger Grosser – Munich, Germany Immo Heinz – Munich, Germany Jugo Ilic – South Clayton, Australia Jiang Xiaomei – Beijing, China Regis Miller – Madison, WI, USA Lee Ann Newsom – University Park, PA, USA Shuichi Noshiro – Ibaraki, Japan Hans Georg Richter – Hamburg, Germany Mitsuo Suzuki – Sendai, Japan Teresa Terrazas – Montecillo, Mexico Elisabeth Wheeler – Raleigh, NC, USA Alex Wiedenhoeft – Madison, WI, USA

IAWA list of microscopic features for softwood identification

Poplar wood was treated with peracetic acid, KOH, and ball milling to produce 147 model lignocelluloses with a broad spectrum of lignin contents, acetyl contents, and crystallinity indices (CrIs), respectively. An empirical model was identified that describes the roles of these three properties in enzymatic hydrolysis. Lignin content and CrI have the greatest impact on biomass digestibility, whereas acetyl content has a minor impact. The digestibility of several lime-treated biomass samples agreed with the empirical model. Lime treatment removes all acetyl groups and a moderate amount of lignin and increases CrI slightly; lignin removal is the dominant benefit from lime treatment.

Fundamental factors affecting biomass enzymatic reactivity.

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for enhanced biogas production.

On etudie la degradation photochimique du bois expose a l'exterieur et ses effets physiques aux niveaux macroscopique et microscopique. On etudie egalement le cas des contreplaques, panneaux de particules et bois modifies chimiquement. On etudie les aspects chimiques de ces reactions. On passe enfin en revue les moyens de protection (peintures, teintures, agents de preservation...)

Chemistry of weathering and protection

A Mechanism for Improving the Digestibility of Lignocellulosic Materials with Dilute Alkali and Liquid Ammonia

Infrared spectra, in the diffuse reflectance mode, are presented for three common softwoods (Western redcedar, southern pine, and Douglas fir) that have been subjected to a variety of artificial weathering conditions. The surface spectra of the three unweathered woods have distinctly different characteristic features, but after 2400 hours of full artificial weathering the surface features are virtually identical and correspond closely with those of the cellulosic polymer components. Weathering with light alone has a less pronounced effect on the wood surfaces, whereas weathering with water alone has virtually no effect in comparison to the result of both light and water used in conjunction. A photochemically induced reaction pathway for the weathering process, consistent with the experimental findings, is discussed.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1991/ander91b.pdf

Infrared Studies of Wood Weathering. Part II: Hardwoods

In this study, the relationship between the morphological structure of the outside
wood layer expressed as surface roughness, and the performance of coatings was
analyzed. The surface roughness of five roughness categories (processed by planing,
sanding, and bandsawing) on three wood substrates (vertical- and flat-grained western
redcedar and flat-grained southern yellow pine) was determined by stylus tracer
measurements. Several surface parameters were calculated to characterize the five
roughness grades. Surface sanding proved to be an advantageous processing step prior
to paint application. Sanded surfaces needed a relatively low quantity of paint for
coverage and showed best paint performances even on low-grade wood.

The effect of surface roughness on the performance of finishes. Part 1. Roughness characterization and stain performance.

The natural weathering process causes exposed wood to discolour and degrade through the effect of light, moisture and staining micro-organisms Physical deterioration means surface roughening, checking and cracking Chemical deterioration involves a complex sequence of free radical reactions However, since light does not penetrate wood deeper than 200 mm, degradations reactions are a surface phenomenon Consequently wood can be protected by paints, stains and similar materials The influence outdoor weathering on the performance of wood is discussed in detail The chemical and physical changes of wood exposed outdoors are described, and the mechanisms of weathering and methods for protecting exposed wood surfaces are summarised The research described does have implications for the preservation of historic structures

William C. Feist

Papers

Chemistry of weathering and protection

A Mechanism for Improving the Digestibility of Lignocellulosic Materials with Dilute Alkali and Liquid Ammonia

Infrared Studies of Wood Weathering. Part II: Hardwoods

The effect of surface roughness on the performance of finishes. Part 1. Roughness characterization and stain performance.

Outdoor wood weathering and protection.