The effect of wood extractives on the thermal stability of different wood-LLDPE composites

The thermal stability of wood polymer composites made with extractive-free wood from four different wood species was studied. Hot water (HW) extractives, ethanol/cyclohexane (E/C) extractives and both types of extractives were eliminated from A. cyclops, E. grandis, P. radiata and Q. alba. Composites of LLDPE and 10 wt% of wood were prepared, using poly vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene (EVOH) as a compatibilizer. The thermal degradation behavior of the composites was characterized with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained results showed that in all cases, the degradation temperatures shifted to higher values after removal of the extractives. The removal of E/C extractives was less effective in its improvement of the thermal stability than the removal of HW extractives. The largest improvement on the thermal stability of WPCs was achieved when both types of extractives (E/C and HW) were removed.     

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of red oak‐ (Quercus rubra), black cherry‐ (Prunus serotina) and red pine‐ (Pinus resinosa) extracted wood surfaces

The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of black cherry (Prunus serotina), red oak (Quercus rubra), and red pine (Pinus resinosa) wood samples extracted with ethanol, ethanol—toluene, and water was conducted to evaluate chemical modifications occurring on the wood surface due to wood extractives, and derive possible implications for wood utilization. Results obtained indicate an increase in the O/C values following extraction treatments due to the partial removal of high carbon content extractives. The C 1s peaks indicated a decrease in the area of the C1 peak, known to originate from lignin and extractives following extraction. At the same time, a rise in the C₂ peak (mainly originating from cellulose and hemicelluloses) was observed, indicating that more cellulose was exposed on the wood surface following extraction. The O 1s peaks showed an increase in the O₁ peak originating from cellulose, therefore confirming the trend observed for C 1s peaks. These results suggest that extracted wood is more wettable because of the increased exposure of high‐oxygen‐content cellulose molecules, known to be more hydrophilic than lignin and high carbon content extractives. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal analysis study of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (methoxyphenyl) porphyrins and their nickel complexes

The thermal stability in air of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (4-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin (4-TMPP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (3-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin (3-TMPP), and their nickel metallo-complexes (4-TMPP-Ni and 3-TMPP-Ni) has been investigated by thermogravimetry (TG). 4-TMPP and 4-TMPP-Ni exhibit higher thermal stability compared to 3-TMPP and 3-TMPP-Ni. Nickel complexes exhibit a little higher thermal stability than the corresponding porphyrins. The thermal behavior including melting temperature and enthalpy of fusion was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared spectra (IR). The activation energies of thermal decompositions of 4-TMPP-Ni and 3-TMPP-Ni were obtained by integral model-free method; the mechanism functions and pre-exponential factors were determined by master plots method. The kinetic models follow the same mechanism function, Avramie-Erofeev equations with integral forms g() = [−ln (l − )]^0.278 and g() = [−ln (l − )]^0.260, respectively.     

Thermal dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride)—epoxidized butadiene/styrene triblock copolymer blends

The effect of the type of epoxidized butadiene/styrene block copolymer [ESBS; linear (B/S) or radial (E(B/S)_n), containing 0–27% of epoxy groups] on the thermal dehydrochlorination of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC)-ESBS blends (ESBS content 10%) was investigated in the temperature range 170–180 °C, under a non-oxygen atmosphere. Thermal stability of the PVC-ESBS blends was estimated on the basis of induction time, t₀, and maximum rate of hydrochloride emission, V_max from the system. It was found that, for a similar degree of epoxidation of the SBS copolymer, the induction time i.e. the time after which emission of HCl begins, is longer in the series PVC < PVC-SBS < PVC-EB/S < PVC-E(B/S)_n, and the same is true for thermal stability. However, the maximum rate of emission of HCl is lowest in the case of PVC-EB/S blends, in the range of molar ratios from 0.5 to 2.0 × 1O⁻². On the basis of the dependence V_max = f(EB/VC), it was found that there is a certain content of epoxidized butadiene (EB) units in a mixture which causes the optimum stability of poly (vinyl chloride) during heating. During thermal destruction of the PVC-ESBS blends, the HC1 evolved undergoes addition both to epoxy fragments and to double bonds. The degree of conversion of EB units in time t₀ is 20% at 170 °C and 30% at 180 °C. The glass transition temperature, T_g, of PVC in the PVC-ESBS blends shifts towards higher temperatures by about 6–8 °C, proving the existence of crosslinking processes during moulding of the blends. The epoxidized butadiene/styrene radial block copolymer, E(B/S)_n, is a better thermal stabilizer of PVC than the linear EB/S copolymer.     

Application of solid-phase extraction to quantitatively determine cyproconazole and tebuconazole in treated wood using liquid chromatography with UV detection

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures were developed to avoid interference during the quantitative determination of cyproconazole and tebuconazole co-existing in wood extractives. Five species of wood were used, Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis), Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis), Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). Methanol extractives from the heartwood of all wood samples, except western hemlock, interfered with the quantitative determination of cyproconazole and tebuconazole using liquid chromatography (LC) with UV detection (LC-UV). SPE with Oasis MCX was effective in avoiding this interference. This method also reduced the time and volume of mobile phase required for LC-UV, since wood extractives with long retention times were also removed.     

High temperature treatment allows the detection of episesamin in paulownia wood extractives

Abstract

The composition and the relative variation of secondary metabolites of Paulownia tomentosa S. wood under thermal effect is a little explored area. Wood material was previously thermo-treated at 210?°C for 3?hours using a press vacuum technology. Extractives of untreated and thermo-treated wood material achieved with Soxhlet extraction techniques were obtained. Then the extracts were chromatographed by using thin layer chromatography. Component groups in extracts were determined by gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry. In terms of wood change the thermo-treatment of wood induces a darkening of wood color surface (ΔL* = 28.3), an increase of mass loss (3.5%) and an increase of the amount of extractives and lignin content as well as an increase of the chloroform soluble fraction. This work mainly describes the chemical exploration of the extract from paulownia wood, leading to the isolation and identification of episesamin.     

Production of levulinic acid from wood raw material in the presence of sulfuric acid and its salts

The catalytic activities of sulfuric acid and of cobalt(II), iron(III), and aluminum sulfates in the thermal splitting of the cellulose and wood of various species in the presence of superheated steam at 250–350°C under flow conditions and at 150–250°C under autoclave conditions have been studied. The yield of levulinic acid from cellulose reaches 35 wt-% and from wood 16.0–18.0 wt-%.Spruce, according to Table 3 and the experimental part-Translator.Institute of the Chemistry of Natural Organic Raw Material, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoyarsk, fax (3912) 43 93 42. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 226–230, March–April, 1998.     

Preparation and characterization of NaCS-CMC/PDMDAAC capsules

A novel capsule system composed of sodium cellulose sulfate (NaCS), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and poly[dimethyl(diallyl)ammonium chloride] (PDMDAAC) was prepared for improving the properties of NaCS/PDMDAAC capsules. The process parameters, such as CMC concentration (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/L), NaCS concentration (20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 g/L), PDMDAAC concentration (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 g/L), reaction time and temperature were investigated to understand their effects on the diameter, membrane thickness and mechanical strength of capsules. The optimum operation conditions for preparing NaCS–CMC/PDMDAAC capsules were determined as 6–8 g/L CMC, 35–40 g/L NaCS, 60 g/L PDMDAAC and polymerization for 30–40 min. Diffusion of substances with low molecular weight into capsules was investigated, and diffusion coefficients were calculated according to the developed model. The yeast of Candida krusei was chosen as representative cell to evaluate the effects of different cell loading on capsule mechanical strength. Meanwhile the encapsulated osmophilic C. krusei cells were cultured in 250 mL shaking flasks for 72 h to determine the cell leaking properties in short and long term.     

Ignition characteristics of forest species in relation to thermal analysis data

The ignitability of various forest species was measured with a specifically designed apparatus, under precisely controlled temperature and airflow conditions. The ignitability tests were based on ignition delay time versus temperature measurements using five different forest species: Pinus halepensis, Pistacia lentiscus, Cupressus sempervirens, Olea europaea, Cistus incanus. These species are common in the Mediterranean region and frequently devastated by forest fires. The ignition characteristics of the forest fuels examined were related to thermogravimetric analysis data. The DTG curves showed that the mass changes related to cellulose decomposition in the temperature range of 320–370 °C are greatly responsible for the ignition behavior of the species tested. In addition, the mass of volatiles evolving between 120–160 °C has a significant effect on the ignitability. On the contrary, the inorganic ash content of forest fuels, measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy, seems to play an insignificant role on the ignitability characteristics of the forest fuels examined.     

Thermogravimetric analysis of wood, holocellulose, and lignin from five wood species

Thermogravimetry has been widely applied to the study of wood and cellulose materials. There is a general agreement that decomposition of hemicellulose, cellulose, and ligning take place in a relatively narrow range of temperature, partially overlapping. There is no a definitive demonstration of which thermal feature corresponds to each component. In this study, three hardwood and two softwood species were considered: Castannea sativa, Eucaliptus globulus, Quercus robur, Pinus pinaster, and Pinus sylvestris. Thermogravimetric analysis of wood powder, ethanol-extracted wood, holocellulose, and lignin, obtained from those species revealed some important differences between hardwood and softwood holocelluloses and an important role of the ethanol-extractives, which explain the different behavior observed in both kinds of wood. FTIR spectra obtained from the evolved gases helped to clarify some degradation steps.     

Thermoplasticization of wood. I. Benzylation of wood

A study of converting wood into thermoplastic materials was undertaken to develop a new technique in effective utilization of wood wastes. Thermoplasticizatoin of wood carried out by means benzylation. Various reaction parameters, such as alkalinity of reaction media, reaction temperature, and time were taken into account to produce benzylated wood with different degrees of substitution (based on weight gain) FTIR, DSC, DMTA, SEM and x-ray crystallography were used to characterize the chemical and mechanical properties of benzylated wood. Experimental data showed that preswelling and reaction temperature had critical effects on benzylation reaction. Lignin in wood appeared to inhibit benzylation but extractives had little effect. Different species showed some variation in reaction rates. The thermoplasticized wood exhibited good melting properties and were readily molded into bulk materials or extruded into films and sheets. A wide range of glass transition temperatures from 66 to 280°C for the benezylatedwoods was achieved, and they were larely dependent on the weight gain. The molded and extruded products exhibited acceptable mechanical strength for structural engineering applications. The property and structure relationship for the thermoplasticized wood were discussed     

Quantitative determination of benzalkonium chloride in treated wood by solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

Ammoniacal copper quat (ACQ) compound wood preservative is comprised of copper and quaternary ammonium compounds with benzalkonium chloride (BAC) as the active ingredient. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (LC-UV) was developed for quantitative determination of BAC in treated wood. Five species of wood were used, Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis), Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis), Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). BAC used in the present study was composed of 66% C12, 33% C14 and less than 1% C16. BAC was added to each wood species (500 mg) then extracted with HCl-ethanol (20 ml) and quantitatively determined with LC-UV (262 nm). Wood extractives from the heartwood of each species, except western hemlock, interfered with quantitative determination of BAC, but SPE with an Oasis MCX cartridge was effective in preventing this. Using the present methods, BAC homologue peaks were clearly confirmed without interference. Recoveries from wood ranged from 92 to 101% and the limit of quantitation was approximately 240 microg/g wood for the C12 and C14 homologues.     

Solvent extraction of Fe(III) by dehydrated castor oil fatty acids

The effect of temperature on the extraction of FE(III) by dehydrated castor oil fatty acids (DCOFA) has been studied in the temperature range 283–313 K at 1.0M constant ionic strength (NaClO₄). The temperature dependence of the conditional constant of extraction is given in the form: ln K_ext=31.95 − 12800(1/T). Also, it was found that the average thermodynamic parameters, ΔH°_ext, ΔG°_ext, and ΔS°_ext are 106.5 kJ/mole, 27.3 kJ/mole, and 0.3 kJ. mole⁻¹.K⁻¹, respectively. The extracted species in toluene solution were identified as FeR₃.HR and Fe(OH)R₂, where HR represents the fatty acid used.     

Wood Extractives of Silver Fir and Their Antioxidant and Antifungal Properties

The chemical composition of extractives in the sapwood (SW), heartwood (HW), knotwood (KW), and branchwood (BW of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) was analyzed, and their antifungal and antioxidant properties were studied. In addition, the variability of extractives content in a centripetal direction, i.e., from the periphery of the stem towards the pith, was investigated. The extracts were analyzed chemically with gravimetry, spectrophotometry, and chromatography. The antifungal and antioxidative properties of the extracts were evaluated by the agar well diffusion method and the diphenyl picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method. Average amounts of hydrophilic extractives were higher in KW (up to 210.4 mg/g) and BW (148.6 mg/g) than in HW (34.1 mg/g) and SW (14.8 mg/g). Extractives identified included lignans (isolariciresinol, lariciresinol, secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, matairesinol) phenolic acids (homovanillic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid), and flavonoids epicatechin, taxifolin, quercetin). Secoisolariciresinol was confirmed to be the predominant compound in the KW (29.8 mg/g) and BW (37.6 mg/g) extracts. The largest amount of phenolic compounds was extracted from parts of knots (281.7 mg/g) embedded in the sapwood and from parts of branches (258.9 mg/g) adjacent to the stem. HW contained more lignans in its older sections. Hydrophilic extracts from knots and branches inhibited the growth of wood-decaying fungi and molds. KW and BW extracts were better free radical scavengers than HW extracts. The results of the biological activity tests suggest that the protective function of phenolic extracts in silver fir wood can also be explained by their antioxidative properties. The results of this study describe BW as a potential source of phenolic extractives in silver fir.     

Performance of polypropylene–wood fiber composites

Polypropylene–wood fiber composites were prepared in the optimal mixture conditions determined in a previous work (180°C, 60 rpm, 10 min). Tensile, impact and three-point bending tests were performed in order to evaluate the adhesion between matrix and wood fibers. Other than mixture conditions, drying temperature of treated wood fiber is also an important factor to obtain good performance composites as shown in this work. Tensile properties of composites submitted to two extreme conditions (immersion in water at ambient temperature for 90 days and immersion in boiling water for 1 h) were determined. Heat deflection temperature and thermal analysis of composites were evaluated.     

双二苷酰胺从硝酸溶液中萃取Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ)

采用混合酸酐法合成了两种双二苷酰胺(bisdiglycolamide, BisDGA)萃取剂: N,N,N'',N''-四正辛基-N',N″-乙二基-双二苷酰胺(TOE-BisDGA)和N,N,N'',N''-四正辛基-N',N″-间苯二甲基-双二苷酰胺(TOX-BisDGA). 以磺化煤油和正辛醇混合溶液(体积比 90∶10)作稀释剂, 研究了它们在硝酸溶液中对Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ), 以及自身对HNO₃的萃取行为. 结果表明, 2种BisDGAs对HNO₃均有一定萃取, 当酸度不超过1.0 mol/L时, 二者形成1∶1型的萃合物. 随HNO₃浓度增加, Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ)的萃取分配比增加. 相同条件下, TOE-BisDGA对Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ)的萃取能力强于TOX-BisDGA. 斜率分析表明TOE-BisDGA和TOX-BisDGA与Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ)均形成2∶1型的萃合物. 温度升高, 萃取分配比下降, 萃取反应是放热反应. 2种BisDGAs对Eu(Ⅲ)的亲和力强于对Am(Ⅲ)的亲合力, 表明BisDGAs对Eu(Ⅲ)有一定的选择性. 同时, 研究了BisDGAs萃取Eu(Ⅲ)和Am(Ⅲ)的机理, 给出了表观萃取平衡常数和萃取反应热力学函数ΔH, ΔS和ΔG的值. 此外, 还对TOE-BisDGA和TOX-BisDGA与Eu(Ⅲ)形成的配合物进行了红外和紫外光谱分析.     

Synthesis of persulfate containing poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) hydrogels in aqueous solutions by γ-induced radiation

The effect of ⁶⁰Co γ-irradiation on aqueous solutions of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) in the presence of persulfate anion has been investigated. The gelation dose of PVP and persulfate containing PVP aqueous solutions has been determined. At low concentrations of persulfate (1.00–3.50%), gelation percentages exhibited a decreasing trend by increasing persulfate content in aqueous solutions of the polymer. The gelation doses of persulfate containing polymer solutions were calculated by the Charlesby–Pinner equation. It was observed that the gelation dose values were shifted to higher values by increasing persulfate concentration in solution. The ratio of the chain scission and crosslinking yields (G(s)/G(x)) was also determined. The results showed that the G(s)/G(x) ratios were smaller than one for PVP aqueous solution system, whereas those obtained for persulfate containing PVP aqueous solutions were higher than unity. The results implied that the chain scission of polymer is more effective than crosslinking in the presence of persulfate. Mechanism of the crosslinking and/or degradation and structure–property relationship of PVP and PVP/persulfate hydrogel systems were investigated by Fourier transformation infeared and thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis and differential thermai analysis) methods.     

Preparation of tough cellulose II nanofibers with high thermal stability from wood

Well-dispersed cellulose II nanofibers with high purity of 92 % and uniform width of 15–40 nm were isolated from wood and compared to cellulose I nanofibers. First, ground wood powder was purified by series of chemical treatments. The resulting purified pulp was treated with 17.5 wt% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution to mercerize the cellulose. The mercerized pulp was further mechanically nanofibrillated to isolate the nanofibers. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the purified pulp had been transformed into the cellulose II crystal structure after treatment with 17.5 wt% NaOH, and the cellulose II polymorph was retained after nanofibrillation. The cellulose II nanofiber sheet exhibited a decrease in Young’s modulus (8.6 GPa) and an increase in fracture strain (13.6 %) compared to the values for a cellulose I nanofiber sheet (11.8 GPa and 7.5 %, respectively), which translated into improved toughness. The cellulose II nanofiber sheet also showed a very low thermal expansion coefficient of 15.9 ppm/K in the range of 20–150 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the cellulose II nanofiber sheet had better thermal stability than the cellulose I nanofiber sheet, which was likely due to the stronger hydrogen bonds in cellulose II crystal structure, as well as the higher purity of the cellulose II nanofibers.     

Pyrolysis and smoke formation of grey alder wood depending on the storage time and the content of extractives

Grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench.) wood is often used in the Baltic countries for the production of curing smoke. Unfortunately, the smoke contains an elevated concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The effect of the content of wood extractives and the wood storage time after felling on the formation of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), flavouring compounds and antioxidants was studied. Storage time demonstrated a considerable effect on the overall increase of the B(a)P formation. The extraction (elimination) of extractives did not show any definite coherency with the concentration of B(a)P in smoke primary condensates, which was within the range from 1.1 to 8.7 μg/kg. Storage time and the elimination of extractives increased the yields of both 2-hydroxyacetaldehyde and 1,6-anhydro-β,D-glucopyranose (levoglucosan) from 1.8 to 10 times during the pyrolysis process and smouldering. It is interesting that the intensified formation of both substances takes place simultaneously, which commonly does not occur. Nevertheless, the prolonged storage time and the elimination of extractives do not substantially improve the quality of smoke and its condensates.     

Relationship between wood color parameters measured by the CIELab system and extractive and phenol content in Acacia mangium and Vochysia guatemalensis from fast-growth plantations

The heterogeneity of color distribution between sapwood and heartwood limits the market for wood from fast-growth plantations of tropical species. Wood color is associated with wood extractives contents. This study presents the relationship between wood color parameters measured by the CIELab color system and total amount of extractives and phenolic-type extractives in ethanol-toluene and hot water extracts of wood from two fast-growth plantation species. The results demonstrated that the difference in sapwood and hardwood color in Vochysia guatemalensis and Acacia mangium is caused by lower concentrations of extractives in sapwood of both species. Additionally, variations in total extractive and phenolic content have different effects on the color parameters (L*, a* and b*) of both species studied. In Vochysia guatemalensis wood, parameter L* decreases as total extractive and phenolic content increases; however, parameter a* increases as the content of extractives and phenols increases. In Acacia mangium, the amount of phenols showed no relationship with the color parameters. The ethanol-toluene total extractive content, however, shows a relationship with several color parameters. An increase in the content of total extractives in water and ethanol-toluene increases parameter a*, but decreases parameter L*.