journal article·2022-07-26

Enhancing the mechanical properties and hydrophobicity of heat-treated wood by migrating and relocating sulfonated lignin

Yiqin Gao, Yuanyuan Li, Ruiqing Ren, Li Li, Jianmin Gao, Yao Chen

Holzforschung· Volume 76· Issue 7
Publisher page

Abstract

Abstract Heat-treated wood (HTW) has better dimensional stability but worse mechanical strength than untreated wood. This study aimed to overcome this shortcoming by sulfonating lignin in Balfour spruce (Picea likiangensis var. balfouriana) wood with sulfurous acid and Na2SO3 followed by heat treatment. The mass loss of as-prepared HTW decreased while the crystallinity index increased slightly compared with those of HTW without sulfonation pretreatment. The cellulose structure of the as-prepared HTW was not damaged by the sulfonation pretreatment. The as-prepared HTW showed a higher MOE, MOR, and compressive strength (CS) of 34, 32, and 22%, respectively, compared with the HTW without sulfonation treatment. The improved mechanical properties were attributed to the increase of the relative mass fraction of lignin in the secondary walls of wood, as sulfonated lignin could migrate with water from the compound middle lamellae into the secondary wall under the combined driving forces of a concentration difference and steam pressure. These findings provide a way to enhance the mechanical properties of HTW while gaining better hydrophobicity.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Wood Treatment and Properties · Lignin and Wood Chemistry · Advanced Cellulose Research Studies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Key Laboratory of Wooden Material Science and Application (Ministry of Education) , Beijing Forestry University , Beijing 100083 , People’s Republic of China

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