Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Deep eutectic solvents are characterized as natural, green, biodegradable, non-flammable, non-volatile, non-toxic, odorless, colorless, easy to prepare, and easy to recycle after use. They present an opportunity to introduce new techniques for the pulping process. This study investigated the possibility of using a green deep eutectic solvents from sorghum stalks for pulp and paper production. Choline chloride/ethylene glycol was used in the preparation of eutectic mixtures in molar ratios of 4/10, 5/10, and 6/10. These eutectic mixtures were then applied as cooking liquor to sorghum stalks at two different cooking times (140 and 160 minutes). In addition, the traditional pulping methods of soda and kraft cookings were carried out using sorghum stalks and the pulps were compared with the deep eutectic solvents pulps. The results showed that the pulp production using deep eutectic solvents was accomplished successfully. Some properties of deep eutectic solvents pulps were comparable to those of the soda and kraft pulps. deep eutectic solvents can play an essential role in cleaner pulp production.

Wood is a material that has been used by humankind for a long time. However, wood researchers and industry have always been concerned about the issues during wood drying and the permeability problems of certain species. In this sense, microwave technology has been applied for wood drying and improving permeably. This paper investigates the microwave drying of two Portuguese wood species, Pinus pinaster sap and heartwood and Eucalyptus globulus heartwood using small clear specimens. The samples were grouped into six during each microwave treatment run according to their similarity of initial moisture content. Once the drying was completed, control and microwave -treated samples were impregnated with desalinated water to analyze their improvement in water absorption, and the compression strength parallel to the grain was analyzed. The results showed that each wood species behaves differently under microwave drying and initial moisture content. The impregnation results demonstrated that pine and eucalyptus microwave -treated heartwood samples improved their capability to absorb water. Finally, only the microwave -treated specimens of eucalyptus heartwood presented a decrease in the values of compression strength parallel to the grain compared to the control group. Therefore, MW treatment presents possibilities for further applications for the wood industry with supporting results.

Oriented Strand Board is a structural wood composite with applications that require good physical and mechanical performance. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles is an alternative that has been studied in order to improve the properties of Oriented Strand Board panels. However, there is no information about its effect Oriented Strand Board. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the addition of zinc oxide nanoparticles in two different percentages (0,25 % and 0,50 %) on the physical-mechanical properties of Oriented Strand Board panels produced with phenol-formaldehyde resin and on the heat transfer during hot-pressing. Oriented Strand Board panels were produced and tested according to European Standards. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles improved the dimensional stability of the panel, reducing its thickness swelling, and also increased the screw withdraw strength. The heat transfer during hot-pressing increased the temperature more quickly on boards with nanoparticles addition; on the other hand the final temperature of the control treatment was higher.

The wood is exposed to possible damages caused by weather, requiring the application of a finishing coat to provide extra protection. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the addition of microfibrillated cellulose in waterborne varnish on the colorimetric parameters, wettability and finish characteristics of wood products. Color was evaluated with a CM-5 spectrophotometer; surface wettability was analyzed by contact angle measurement using a drop shape analysis goniometer; and abrasion, adhesion and impact tests were performed to evaluate the quality of the coating. The coating’s optical characteristics were not affected by the addition of microfibrillated cellulose. The changes in wood wettability were small, with no statistical difference between the wood treated with plain varnish and that with unbleached microfibrillated cellulose. In the analysis of the variation of the contact angle during the elapsed time, the coating containing unbleached microfibrillated cellulose presented the best results. The results of finish quality did not show numerical changes after the addition of the microfibrillated cellulose, but qualitatively the microfibrillated cellulose caused better anchoring of the coating to the specimens. Therefore, the use of microfibrillated cellulose as reinforcement in coatings has potential, but tests with different consistencies and tests of other properties are necessary.

The aim of this study was to determine how varying the inputted surface area value of wood samples would affect the determination of kiln-drying schedules using the drastic drying test. For this purpose, eight individuals of two Eucalyptus clones were selected. Specimens were obtained for drastic drying tests at 100 °C, to measure the basic density and to determine the initial moisture content. The initial and final temperatures and the drying potential were calculated in 100 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm samples, considering the surface area to be 130 cm² (Updated Method), in contrast to the surface area of 100 cm² that is commonly used in the method known as the Standard Method. Based on these findings, kiln-drying schedules were set for the lumber from each clone. Although the significant differences aforementioned, it was observed that the drying schedules developed by Standard Method and Updated Method are similar.

This article investigates the relationships between soil characteristics (physical and chemical) and wood properties of Persian oak in three different elevation sites. For this purpose, 27 trees were randomly chosen and cut in Zagros forests in western Iran. The test samples were prepared at the stem (breast height) to examine physical and biometrical properties. For each elevation site, four soil samples were obtained at a 0-20 cm soil depth under the canopy of each tree to measure soil properties, including clay, silt soil, sand soil, electrical conductivity, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter content. Then, the relationship of soil and wood properties was determined by principal component analysis. Results specified that there are a positive correlation between wood density and volumetric swelling with clay and available potassium. Moreover, the results revealed a positive correlation between fiber length, cell wall thickness, and fiber diameter with electrical conductivity, sand percentage, and total nitrogen content, respectively.

We run logit models to explain the variability of Pinus radiata structural lumber in 71 second and third unpruned logs. The response variable was the proportion of lumber with a static modulus of elasticity greater or equal than 8 GPa, pMSG8+, and the explanatory variables were log volume, branch index, largest branch, log internode index, wood basic density, and acoustic velocity. The average pMSG8+ volume was 44,30 % and 36,18 % in the second and third log respectively. Ten models were selected based on meeting statistical assumptions, their goodness of fit, and the statistical significance of their parameters. The best models (R2 - adj. > 0,75) included acoustic velocity (AV) as explanatory variable, which explained 56,25 % of the variability of pMSG8+. Models without AV presented goodness of fit ranging from 0,60 to 0,75 (R2 - adj.), and variables with the highest weight to explain the variability of pMSG8+ were volume, followed by wood basic density, branch index, and largest branch. It is possible to model pMSG8+ from log variables even when acoustic velocity is not available; however, this requires wood basic density models calibrated for the Pinus radiata growing zone.

An optimum adhesive penetration is needed to provide satisfactory bonding strength at the veneer–veneer interface. The effect of veneer density and glue spreading rate on the phenol formaldehyde adhesive penetration plot profile was determined. An X-ray apparatus was used to visualize the adhesive penetration of the plywood. The heartwood and sapwood veneer of Cryptomeria japonica with low, medium, and high veneer densities were made into plywood. The glue spreading rate was applied from 75 g/m2 to 225 g/m2 for the heartwood plywood and up to 300 g/m2 for the sapwood plywood (plus 75 g/m2 at every level of glue spreading rate). An X-ray apparatus with a low tube voltage successfully visualized the adhesive penetration plot profile. Based on the half-width calculation, the adhesive penetration depth ranged from 0,3 – 0,9 mm. The mean half-width was 0,5 mm. The adhesive concentration increased with increasing glue spreading rate. In contrast, it also showed that using different veneer densities and increasing glue spreading rates does not affect the half-width value as the adhesive penetrates deeper.

Besides the continuously increasing demand for wood, the significant increase in its price also contributes to the increasingly broader use of fast-growing wood species and cultivars. Newer variants are continue to be cross-bred as a result. In case of a new variant within a species, it is questionable how it would adapt to a particular climatic environment and the quality of wood it would yield. The characteristics of the Paulownia tomentosa (Robust4) wood obtained from Hungarian plantations of are generally identical to those of the Paulownia tomentosa. The value of the air dry density - as typically for paulownia species- are very low i.e. 273 kg/m3. Its strength values (compressive strength: 9,6 MPa; tensile strength: 39,3 MPa; bending strength: 41,7 MPa; modulus of elasticity: 4116 MPa; impact bending strength: 1,4 J/cm2) also reach, and in some cases, exceed those of the Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. and the Paulownia Clone in vitro 112 variant. Based on these, we can expect the same wood quality from the Robust4 version as from the other paulownia variants.

Erratum