Chemical modification of lignocellulosics using microwave technology

摘要

The property enhancement of lignocellulosics by means of chemical modification has been studied for a long time. Most methods involve a reaction with wood polymer hydroxyl groups. One of the most promising methods is acetylation with acetic anhydride which gives a highly improved dimensional stability and improved biological resistance. The tendency of wood to absorb moisture is reduced when the hydroxyl groups of wood polymers react with acetic anhydride thus, forming covalently bonded acetyl groups. The equilibrium moisture content (EMC) decreases along with an increase in the degree of acetylation. In this study, the acetylation process was performed by using microwave energy as the heat source.