Creep Behaviors during and after Drying and Microstructures after Drying of Wood Swollen by Water, Methanol and Ethanol

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between microstructures of wood and the physical and mechanical properties, creep behaviors during and after drying and microstructures after drying of wood swollen by water, methanol and ethanol were studied in this report. Results obtained were as follows. 1) Creeps for every swollen wood during drying were greater than immediately after drying, and much greater than after conditioned at the before and after contents. Wood samples with greater degree of creep during and immediately after drying were; methanol-swollen wood, ethanol-swollen wood and water-swollen wood when similar amount of content were changed. 2) Similar degree of creep occurred during drying despite drying rate. Degree of creep immediately after drying depended on drying rate and elapsed time after drying. 3) Larger amount of micropores existed in wood after desorption of methanol and ethanol than in wood after desorption of water when vacuum-dried at 110°C. 4) One and a half times as much as greater creep occurred during drying for liquid mixtures (water : methanol = 0.2 : 0.8, water : ethanol = 0.8 : 0.2) swollen wood than for water-swollen wood. Accordingly, it was considered that different swollen states of wood produced different wood microstructures during and after drying.