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Performance improvement of poplar wood based on the synergies of furfurylation and polyethylene glycol impregnation

  • Tiantian Yang EMAIL logo , Shaodi Zhang , Changtong Mei and Erni Ma
Published/Copyright: July 7, 2022
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Holzforschung
From the journal Holzforschung Volume 76 Issue 9

Abstract

Fast-growing wood usually exhibits dimensional instability and inferior mechanical strength, which severely obstructs its wide application. To improve the dimensional stability and mechanical strength, biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol combined with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was vacuum-impregnated into wood hierarchical structures, causing cell wall bulking and porosity reduction. Furfural resin and PEG distributed in cell lumina, cell walls and middle lamella regions indicated by analyses of scanning electron microscope and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Wood porosity was generally reduced and the specific surface area decreased by over 65% analyzed by the nitrogen absorption. Consequently, wood hydrophobicity and dimensional stability were highly improved, and the water absorption and volumetric change decreased by over 55% and 78%. The flexural strength and modulus elasticity were improved by over 49% and 46%. Furfural resin helped the fixation of PEG in wood and significantly reduced PEG leaching. PEG with flexible linear molecular structure formed interpenetrating polymer network in wood hierarchical structures with furfural resin and reduced self-crosslinking of furfural resin. Accordingly, the impact toughness of compound modified wood increased by 39% compared with solely furfurylated wood. This study provided efficient and sustainable concepts to facilitate better industrialized application of wood furfurylation and improve service value of fast-growing wood.

Keywords: fast-growing wood; furfurylation; mechanical performance improvement; PEG impregnation; physical performance improvement
Corresponding author: Tiantian Yang, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China; and Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China, E-mail:

Funding source: Research Start-up Funding of Nanjing Forestry University

Award Identifier / Grant number: 163020242

Funding source: College Student Practice and Innovation Training Program of Nanjing Forestry University

Award Identifier / Grant number: 2021NFUSPITP0108

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: This work was supported by the Research Start-up Funding of Nanjing Forestry University (163020242) and the College Student Practice and Innovation Training Program of Nanjing Forestry University (2021NFUSPITP0108).

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Received: 2022-05-10
Accepted: 2022-06-21
Published Online: 2022-07-07
Published in Print: 2022-09-27

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Articles
  3. Variation analyses of extractive contents by NIR-spectroscopy bring out the differences between agroforestry and forestry walnut (Juglans regia × nigra) trees
  4. Correlation between lignin content and syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G) ratio of Eucalyptus globulus wood
  5. Accelerated relaxation behavior during water desorption in the mechano-sorptive creep of wood: modeling and analysis based on the free volume concept and Kohlausch–Williams–Watts function
  6. Degradation of beech wood by Kretzschmaria deusta: its heterogeneity and influence on dynamic and static bending properties
  7. Performance improvement of poplar wood based on the synergies of furfurylation and polyethylene glycol impregnation
  8. Artificial lignification of a cellulose microfibril-based hydrogel and resulting effect on tensile properties
  9. Depolymerisation of kraft lignin to obtain high value-added products: antioxidants and UV absorbers
  10. A CP/MAS 13C NMR investigation of cellulose ultrastructure in traditional Chinese handmade papers
  11. Quality control of natural cork stoppers by image analysis and oxygen transmission rate
https://doi.org/10.1515/hf-2022-0083
Keywords for this article
fast-growing wood; furfurylation; mechanical performance improvement; PEG impregnation; physical performance improvement

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Articles
  3. Variation analyses of extractive contents by NIR-spectroscopy bring out the differences between agroforestry and forestry walnut (Juglans regia × nigra) trees
  4. Correlation between lignin content and syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G) ratio of Eucalyptus globulus wood
  5. Accelerated relaxation behavior during water desorption in the mechano-sorptive creep of wood: modeling and analysis based on the free volume concept and Kohlausch–Williams–Watts function
  6. Degradation of beech wood by Kretzschmaria deusta: its heterogeneity and influence on dynamic and static bending properties
  7. Performance improvement of poplar wood based on the synergies of furfurylation and polyethylene glycol impregnation
  8. Artificial lignification of a cellulose microfibril-based hydrogel and resulting effect on tensile properties
  9. Depolymerisation of kraft lignin to obtain high value-added products: antioxidants and UV absorbers
  10. A CP/MAS 13C NMR investigation of cellulose ultrastructure in traditional Chinese handmade papers
  11. Quality control of natural cork stoppers by image analysis and oxygen transmission rate
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