Measurement of wood surface roughness in Dinizia excelsa Ducke using an atomic force microscope

Willian Silva Da Conceição,Henrique Duarte Da Fonseca Filho,Ituany Da Costa Melo,Robert Saraiva Matos,Fidel Guereiro Zayas,Glenda Quaresma Ramos

doi:10.4025/actascitechnol.v44i1.56509

Abstract

Measurement techniques of nanoscale parameters have been vastly explored nowadays. In systems such as wood that possess anisotropic surfaces, these techniques provide reliable data on the surface morphology and related parameters. The atomic force microscope (AFM) and optical microscope were used to investigate the roughness and surface morphology of Dinizia excelsa. Cuts were made in different directions generating three distinct surfaces: radial, tangential and transverse. The samples went through a sanding process to reveal the original morphology of the steering. Both techniques show that the surface texture is different according to the analysed surface. The lowest roughness was observed on the transverse plane while the highest occurred on the radial. The comparison of the morphology evaluation by the two techniques allowed us to see that the AFM technique revealed the most sensitive images in smaller scales. These results confirmed that the AFM can provide satisfactory results for the surface parameters of Dinizia excelsa depending on the cut direction. This type of analysis can be useful in laboratory species identification processes and in deforestation inspection processes in the Amazon

Highlights

Angelim Pedra or Vermelho (Dinizia excelsa) that belongs to the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family is a tree often found in the Amazon rainforest, in Brazil, in the states of Amazonas, Acre, Amapá, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia
The species was selected based on data from the forest inventory of the management plan for the area and on the results of research on the woods mainly used in the region for commercial timber purposes
Electron microscopy, which includes Scanning and Transmission Electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively) techniques, is commonly used to study wood structures that are either too small to be observed by naked eye or to small/irregular to be viewed using optical microscopy

Summary

Introduction

Angelim Pedra or Vermelho (Dinizia excelsa) that belongs to the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family is a tree often found in the Amazon rainforest, in Brazil, in the states of Amazonas, Acre, Amapá, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia. It is a tree that can reach 55 meters height, allowing straight and cylindrical trunk and a density that varies between 0.95 g cm-3 – 1.00 g cm-3 (Oliveira, Cesarino, Pantoja, & Môro, 2010). It is a great asset for the timber and construction industry due to its endurance and resistance to attack by termites, fungi, and other wood parasites (Alday, Gómez, Ojeda, Caballero, & Moneo, 2005). Its smell and taste are imperceptible; it shows an average density, hard on cutting, and coarse texture of the fibrous aspect (Ferreira, Gomes, & Hopkins, 2004)

Methods

Results

Conclusion