Doczekalska Beata, Stachowiak-Wencek Agata, Bujnowicz Krzysztof, Sydor Maciej
Department of Chemical Wood Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, ul. Wojska Polskiego 38/42, 60-637 Poznań, Poland.
Institute of Natural Fibers & Medicinal Plants-National Research Institute, ul. Wojska Polskiego 71B, 60-630 Poznań, Poland.
Polymers (Basel). 2025 Jul 22;17(15):2000. doi: 10.3390/polym17152000.
wood is characterized by rapid mass gain, but its limited mechanical strength hinders engineering applications. This study aimed to determine the effect of thermal modification in a steam atmosphere (at temperatures of 180 °C and 190 °C for 12 or 6 h with 3 or 6 h of steam dosing) on wood's selected physicochemical and aesthetic properties. Color changes (CIELAB), chemical composition (FTIR), density, and compressive strength parallel to the grain were evaluated. The results showed a clear darkening of the wood, a shift in hues towards red and yellow, and an increase in color saturation depending on the treatment parameters. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed a reduction in hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, indicating thermal degradation of hemicelluloses and extractives. Wood density remained relatively stable, despite observed mass losses and reduced swelling. The most significant increase in compressive strength, reaching 27%, was achieved after 6 h of modification at 180 °C with a concurrent 6 h steam dosing time. The obtained results confirm that thermal treatment can effectively improve the functional and visual properties of paulownia wood, favoring its broader application in the furniture and construction industries.
木材的特点是质量快速增加，但其有限的机械强度阻碍了工程应用。本研究旨在确定在蒸汽气氛中进行热改性（在180°C和190°C的温度下分别处理12小时或6小时，并分别进行3小时或6小时的蒸汽注入）对木材选定的物理化学和美学性能的影响。评估了颜色变化（CIELAB）、化学成分（FTIR）、密度以及与木纹平行的抗压强度。结果表明，木材明显变黑，色调向红色和黄色偏移，并且根据处理参数，颜色饱和度增加。FTIR光谱证实了羟基和羰基的减少，表明半纤维素和提取物发生了热降解。尽管观察到质量损失和膨胀减少，但木材密度保持相对稳定。在180°C下改性6小时并同时进行6小时蒸汽注入后，抗压强度提高最为显著，达到了27%。所得结果证实，热处理可以有效改善泡桐木材的功能和视觉性能，有利于其在家具和建筑行业更广泛的应用。
