Abstract
Wood is usually stable under relatively dry conditions but may still undergo slow deterioration. The type of deterioration and how these processes affect the wood are important questions that need consideration if old wooden structures are to be studied and properly preserved. The aim of this paper is to establish the main structural and morphological differences between new and naturally aged European spruce (~ 150–200 years) and silver fir wood (~ 150 years). Naturally aged European spruce (a) was sourced from an outdoor part of a building constructed in the seventeenth century and naturally aged European spruce (b) were obtained from a furniture item located in a historical building from the eighteenth century. The principal age-induced changes in fir are the degradation of C–O and C=O groups in hemicellulose, according to the FTIR analysis. Degradation of cellulose and hemicelluloses was observed for spruce, with a greater effect seen in the indoor aged sample. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that after aging C–C/C–H peaks were smaller in the spruce and fir samples, while C–O and O–C–O peaks were larger. The crystallinity index (CrI) obtained by X-ray diffraction showed that due to weathering the CrI of naturally aged spruce (a) increased compared to the new wood. The CrI of the aged spruce (b) and aged fir was lower than in the new woods. The ratios for the spruce sample, which aged indoors, were higher than those for the one aged outdoors. According to the observations made in this study, hemicellulose and cellulose are easily degraded under environmental conditions.
Highlights
In contrast to most other building and structural materials, wood is a renewable resource available in vast quantities
An ageing-related increase of the O2 peak area for both wood species was observed (Fig. 4). These results indicate that depolymerization, oxidation and hydrolysis reactions occurred on the aged wood surface
This work established the main chemical differences between new and naturally aged European spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba) woods studied with ATRFTIR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD)
Summary
In contrast to most other building and structural materials, wood is a renewable resource available in vast quantities. It has many favourable properties and features such as high strength to weight ratio, unique aesthetic and tactile values and low production cost. Knowledge of wood aging and property changes in old wood compared to recent wood are crucial for the conservation of wood-based cultural heritage objects and historic wood-built buildings as well as the reuse of old wooden buildings [4]. Wood is part of the carbon cycle in nature and its formation and degradation are essential elements of this cycle. Ghavidel et al J Wood Sci (2020) 66:77
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