Interactions of a waterborne coating with plasma pre-treated densified beech wood

Author(s):  
Jure Žigon
Holzforschung ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jure Žigon ◽  
Matjaž Pavlič ◽  
Pierre Kibleur ◽  
Jan Van den Bulcke ◽  
Marko Petrič ◽  
...  

AbstractPlasma treatment is becoming a mature technique for modification of surfaces of various materials, including wood. A better insight in the treatment process and the impact of the plasma on properties of wood bulk are still needed. The study was performed on Norway spruce and common beech wood, as well as their thermally modified variations. The formations of the airborne discharge, as well as mass changes of the treated wood, were monitored. The impact of such treatment on wood-coating interaction was investigated by evaluating the dynamic wettability and penetration into wood. At the wood surface, plasma streamers were observed more intense on denser latewood regions. Wood mass loss was higher with increasing number of passes through the plasma discharge and was lower for thermally modified wood than for unmodified wood. Plasma treatment increased the surface free energy of all wood species and lowered the contact angles of a waterborne coating, these together indicating enhanced wettability after treatment. Finally, the distribution and penetration depth of the coating were studied with X-ray microtomography. It was found that the coating penetrated deeper into beech than into spruce wood. However, the treatment with plasma increased the penetration of the coating only into spruce wood.


2003 ◽  
Vol 154 (12) ◽  
pp. 498-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Burgert

Three investigations into the mechanical relevance of wood rays were combined for this article. The main objective was to show, that, apart from physiological functions, rays also significantly influence the radial strength and stiffness of wood. In the first approach twelve deciduous tree species with various proportions of fractions of rays were examined for their transverse tensile strength and stiffness. The second approach was based on the comparison of the radial mechanical properties of wood with a very high proportion of fraction of rays and beech wood with a normal volume. In these two investigations the mechanical relevance of rays could only be deduced indirectly. By isolating big rays of beech and carrying out tensile tests on the tissue, we found direct evidence for the mechanical relevance. The results are discussed with regard to their biomechanical relevance. The importance of a radial reinforcement for the wood is underlined. Moreover, the principle of multi-functionality in nature is emphasized in keeping with a possible transfer of biological design to technical solutions.


Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Ghiath Jnido ◽  
Gisela Ohms ◽  
Wolfgang Viöl

In the present work, the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process was used to deposit zinc oxide (ZnO) coatings on wood surfaces using zinc nitrate solution as precursor to improve the hydrophobicity and the color stability of European beech wood under exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. The surface morphology and topography of the wood samples and the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The formation of ZnO was detected with the help of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The FTIR spectra of the coated samples showed the typical Zn–O band at 445 cm−1. According to the XPS analysis, the coatings consist of two different Zn-containing species: ZnO and Zn(OH)2. Variation of the deposition parameters showed that the most significant parameters affecting the microstructure of the coating were the solution concentration, the deposition scan speed, and carrier gas flow rate. The wettability behaviors of the coated wood were evaluated by measuring the water contact angle (WCA). The coatings that completely covered the wood substrates showed hydrophobic behaviors. UV-protection of wood surfaces after an artificial UV light irradiation was evaluated by color measurements and FTIR spectroscopy. The ZnO-coated wood surfaces were more resistant to color change during UV radiation exposure. The total color change decreased up to 60%. Additionally, the FTIR spectra showed that the wood surfaces coated with ZnO had more stability. The carbonyl groups formation and C=C-bonds consumption were significantly lower.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 687
Author(s):  
Srirat Chuayboon ◽  
Stéphane Abanades

The solar gasification of biomass represents a promising avenue in which both renewable solar and biomass energy can be utilized in a single process to produce synthesis gas. The type of oxidant plays a key role in solar-driven biomass gasification performance. In this study, solar gasification of beech wood biomass with different oxidants was thermodynamically and experimentally investigated in a 1.5 kWth continuously-fed consuming bed solar reactor at 1200 °C under atmospheric pressure. Gaseous (H2O and CO2) as well as solid (ZnO) oxidants in pellet and particle shapes were utilized for gasifying beech wood, and the results were compared with pyrolysis (no oxidant). As a result, thermodynamic predictions provided insights into chemical gasification reactions against oxidants, which can support experimental results. Compared to pyrolysis, using oxidants significantly promoted syngas yield and energy upgrade factor. The highest total syngas yield (63.8 mmol/gbiomass) was obtained from biomass gasification with H2O, followed by CO2, ZnO/biomass mixture (pellets and particles), and pyrolysis. An energy upgrade factor (U) exceeding one was achieved whatever the oxidants, with the maximum U value of 1.09 from biomass gasification with ZnO, thus highlighting successful solar energy storage into chemical products. ZnO/biomass pellets exhibited greater gas yield, particularly CO, thanks to enhanced solid–solid reaction. Solid product characterization revealed that ZnO can be reduced to high-purity Zn through solar gasification, indicating that solar-driven biomass gasification with ZnO is a promising innovative process for CO2-free sustainable co-production of metallic Zn and high-quality syngas.


Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
María González Martínez ◽  
Estéban Hélias ◽  
Gilles Ratel ◽  
Sébastien Thiéry ◽  
Thierry Melkior

Biomass preheating in torrefaction at an industrial scale is possible through a direct contact with the hot gases released. However, their high water-content implies introducing moisture (around 20% v/v) in the torrefaction atmosphere, which may impact biomass thermochemical transformation. In this work, this situation was investigated for wheat straw, beech wood and pine forest residue in torrefaction in two complementary experimental devices. Firstly, experiments in chemical regime carried out in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) showed that biomass degradation started from lower temperatures and was faster under a moist atmosphere (20% v/v water content) for all biomass samples. This suggests that moisture might promote biomass components’ degradation reactions from lower temperatures than those observed under a dry atmosphere. Furthermore, biomass inorganic composition might play a role in the extent of biomass degradation in torrefaction in the presence of moisture. Secondly, torrefaction experiments on a lab-scale device made possible to assess the influence of temperature and residence time under dry and 100% moist atmosphere. In this case, the difference in solid mass loss between dry and moist torrefaction was only significant for wheat straw. Globally, an effect of water vapor on biomass transformation through torrefaction was observed (maximum 10%db), which appeared to be dependent on the biomass type and composition.


2011 ◽  
Vol 66 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 134-138
Author(s):  
Marco Antonio Béjar ◽  
Rodrigo Mena ◽  
Juan Esteban Toro

Biomorphic SiC/Si composites were produced from pine and beech wood, and the corresponding electrical conductivity was determined as a function of the temperature. Firstly, wood preforms were pyrolized at 1050 °C in nitrogen. Then, the pyrolized preforms were impregnated with liquid silicon and kept at 1600 °C for 2 h in vacuum. The SiC/Si composites were obtained due to the produced carbothermal reaction. As expected, the resulting electrical conductivity of these composites increased with the temperature and with the silicon content.


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