Is hygrothermal recovery of tension wood temperature-dependent?

Abstract

When a green wood specimen is hygrothermally treated, it often shows dimensional changes in the longitudinal and transversal directions, which is called hygrothermal recovery of wood. Hygrothermal recovery of tension wood is assumed to be behind the unusual contraction of gelatinous layer along the longitudinal axis. This study investigated whether hygrothermal recovery of tension wood was temperature-dependent. Hygrothermal treatment at 80, 100 and 120 °C was given to green Quercus serrata tension wood, and longitudinal and tangential dimensions were recorded. In the longitudinal direction, the trend line obtained after 10 times of 10-min hygrothermal treatments at respective temperatures unraveled that it was comprised of initial recovery and continuum contraction at 100 and 120 °C, but no initial recovery was recognized at 80 °C. In the tangential direction, both the initial and the continuum deformations were expansive, and initial recovery was smaller at 80 °C. The results of multiple comparison test revealed that the parameters characterizing the trend line differed significantly among three temperature sets. Further, the result highlighted the existence of breakage of hygrothermal recovery mechanism at temperature between 80 and 100 °C.