Fabrication of densified wood via synergy of chemical pretreatment, hot-pressing and post mechanical fixation

Abstract Wood densification can improve the strength of low density wood species and extend wood product applications. To enhance the wood compressive quality, chemical pretreatments for pristine wood have widely been used. Densified Abies wood was fabricated by combining NaOH/Na 2 SO 3 solution treatment, hot-pressing and post mechanical fixation. The appearance, color, chemical composition, and physiology and mechanical properties before and after the densification treatment were examined by the colorimeter, FTIR and mechanical testing machine, respectively. Surface color of Abies wood was changed obviously after the densification. The values of brightness L * and b * decreased but the value of a * showed a slight increase in the densified wood. FTIR results confirmed that the color changes can be explained by the degradation of hemicellulose and lignin in wood cell walls and migration of extractives during the densification process. Sufficient removal of wood polymers resulted in the average compression ratio of about 80% in the radial direction of the natural wood. The density of densified wood increased with the wood thickness up to 1.227 g cm −1 , accounting for a 169% increase compared to that of the pristine wood. Modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) in the thickness direction of densified wood also markedly enhanced. Degradation of polymers in wood cell walls also was reconfirmed by the difference of fracture interface. All the results suggested that the densified softwood can be easily fabricated using the proposed method and the new densified softwood can be appropriately used as interior decoration materials.