Possibilities for compositional tailoring of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) wood using a hydrophobic oil impregnation process

摘要

Impregnation with hydrophobic oils offers non-toxic options for preserving Norway spruce {Picea abies L. Karst) wood that could potentially be used to tailor the properties of wood products, especially those used in exposed conditions. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of the water-filled porosity and density of Norway spruce wood and treatments (applied to set the wood's water contents at desired test levels) prior to impregnation with the linseed oil derivative Linogard by the Linotech process on its oil retention. Retention of oil differed significantly between tissue types. Dried specimens always retained less oil than corresponding undried or rewetted specimens. Furthermore, water-filled porosity and density had significant effects on oil retention levels within tissue types, allowing linear regression equations to be developed that gave good predictions of oil retention parameters for different tissues, with R2 values ranging from 0.66 for mature heartwood to 0.85 for mature sapwood. Thus there is scope to use hydrophobic oil impregnation processes for producing compositionally tailored wood materials with specified properties.