Alkaline degradation of wood: Effects on Young's modulus

✍ Scribed by Umberto Tamburini

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1970
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 478 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0043-7719
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00386404

✦ Synopsis

The influence of strong alkaline attack on the elastic modulus of beech wood was investigated from a physico-chemical point of view. It was shown that by treating rather large samples with 24% caustic potash solution, part of the hemicelluloses and lignin is removed; also wood shrinks more that three times as much as normally. This has no effect on the net cell wall elastic properties of the wood in spite of statements by other authors on milder treatment. It is supposed that such a treatment triggers a dissolution of the so-called sparinglysoluble hemicelluloses up to an extent by which wood is densified without loosing its structure. Furbher investigations will be carried out on the general properties of wood subjected to this kind of treatment.