Scots Pine Wood Research Articles

Properties of Scots pine wood impregnated with capric acid for potential energy saving building material

Abstract Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) was impregnated with different concentrations of capric acid (CA) (20, 40, 60 and 80%) as phase change material (PCM). The hygroscopic, mechanical properties and thermal energy storage (TES) characteristics of the CA-impregnated wood were studied. The morphology, crystalline properties, phase change properties and thermo-regulative performance of CA-impregnated wood were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal performance analysis. CA-impregnated wood demonstrated an excellent performance of storing and releasing heat during phase change process, confirmed by DSC and FTIR analysis after an accelerated thermal cycling test. In addition, the accelerated thermal cycling test results indicated that CA-impregnated wood showed good thermal reliability and CA did not leach from the wood after the thermal cycling. Wood impregnated with CA solution of 80% concentration reduced the maximum temperature by 4.04 °C at the end of the heating period while it increased the minimum temperature by 2.83 °C at the end of the cooling period. The performance of storing and releasing heat during phase change process of CA impregnated Scots pine proves that it can be used as a thermal regulating building material to reduce energy consumption and cost caused by day and night temperature fluctuations.

Analysing the Main Standards for Climate-Induced Mechanical Risk in Heritage Wooden Structures: The Case of the Ringebu and Heddal Stave Churches (Norway)

Studying, controlling and extrapolating the indoor microclimate of historical buildings have always been at the forefront among numerous preventive conservation strategies, especially in case of buildings made of organic hygroscopic materials, e.g., wood. The variations and fluctuations of the microclimatic variables, namely temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), could have a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of wooden objects, works of art and structures. For this reason, through the years, several guidelines have been provided by standards and protocols about the optimal microclimatic conditions that should be ensured to avoid the decay and the eventual catastrophic failure of heritage objects and buildings. In this work, two historical buildings entirely made of Scots pine wood have been analysed: the Ringebu and Heddal stave churches (Norway). These churches store several wooden medieval statues and paintings that are also susceptible to the effects of the microclimate. For this reason, the timeseries of the indoor relative humidity of the two churches have been analysed, in the framework of the indications provided by the standards. The criticalities of the existing protocols have been pointed out, emphasizing the need for systematically and periodically updated specifications, tailorable to a given case study of concern, without forgetting the ever-present needs of energy- and money-saving approaches.

Detection of old house borer larvae in wooden structures by acoustic emission method – Influence of larval size and sensor location

The detection of old house borer larvae (Hylotrupes bajulus L.) in Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) was performed using the acoustic emission (AE) method. Laboratory experiments (as preliminary) as well as real tests in full-sized building elements were performed. The sound energy of larvae with a mass of 0.011 g to 0.065 g placed in small samples of wood was calculated. A remarkable relationship was found between the calculated sound energy and larva mass. The AE measurement of an old house borer larva in construction element with a cross-section of 11.0 cm × 5.5 cm and a length of 203 cm was also performed. A remarkable drop in calculated sound energy was observed with increasing distance of the sensor from the larval presence. Similar measurements were also conducted in wood with a cross-section of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm and a length of 203 cm. There was a smaller decline in the calculated energy of sound than in previous studies. For this reason, the AE method should be used in detecting wood-boring insects in furniture.

Subfossil Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Wood from Northern Finland—Physical, Mechanical, and Chemical Properties and Suitability for Specialty Products

The physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of both stem wood and knot wood were investigated from two subfossil Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trunks retrieved from a lake in Finnish Lapland, dated to 404–486 CE and to 1318–1444 CE. Both the stem wood and the knot wood of the younger trunk had higher moisture content, lower density, and lower strength properties in comparison to the older trunk. The ash content of the stem wood of the younger trunk was lower, but the ash content of the knot wood was higher than that of the older trunk. Due to the degradation that occurred over time, all the values of physical and mechanical properties were lower compared to typical values of recently grown Scots pine wood. The chemical composition of both stem wood samples was close to the composition of the recently grown wood, and the only exception was the small decrease of the cellulose and hemicellulose in the subfossil samples. The bulk extractives were well-preserved, but terpenes and fatty acids underwent transformation, resulting in more stable compounds. The SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) showed pros and cons for the productization of subfossil wood, with the branding value of an ancient material being the potential enabler in developing commercial niche uses.

Investigation of round Scots pine wood WC01 class using X-ray computer tomography

Investigation of round Scots pine wood WC01 class using X-ray computer tomography. Scots pine is the most widespread type of wood in Poland with wide industrial use. The typical starting material used for the production of layered floor elements are logs of WC01 class (class according to the Polish Standard PN-D-95008: 1992 and Order no 72 - GM-900-5 / 2013 of General Director of the State Forests in Poland). Using X-ray computed tomography, tests of fresh wood in the bark were carried out, confirming the full suitability of this technique for the precise assessment of wood density as well as its grain and distribution of anatomical defects (knots). The different level of humidity of sapwood and heartwood in fresh wood is visible in tomographic images and translates into a much higher recorded density of the wetter zone of sapwood. Calibration of the tomograph used made it possible to convert the Hounsfield density scale into actual densities expressed in kg/m3.

Bio-Based Phase Change Materials for Wooden Building Applications

Solid wood can serve multifunctionality for energy savings in buildings. The study reveals the results of biodeterioration and degradation of solid Scots pine wood used to incorporate single or multicomponent fatty acid mixtures as bio-based phase change materials (BPCMs). The sapwood samples were impregnated with capric acid (CA), methyl palmitate (MP), lauryl alcohol (LA) and a mixture of coconut oil fatty acids and linoleic acid (CoFA-LA). The samples were tested against subterranean termites by an Italian species (Reticulitermes lucifugus), the wood boring beetle Hylotrupes bajulus and mold through a discoloration test. Tested against termites, the impregnated samples were significantly less susceptible to the attack than the controls, i.e., the tested BPCMs were resistant to R. lucifugus. The only test with MP terminated at the moment against H. bajulus showed positive results with no larvae surviving. The mold discoloration test revealed that the wood impregnated with CoFA-LA was identically susceptible to mold discoloration when compared to the control, nonimpregnated samples. This pioneer study verifies that solid wood employed for the encapsulation of BPCMs for building purposes can serve identically or somewhat better than similar wooden building elements regarding attacks of the above microorganisms and insects. Such multifunctional building elements will be tested further in a pilot scale building to characterize better the durability aspects of the new materials.

Novel risk assessment tools for the climate-induced mechanical decay of wooden structures: Empirical and machine learning approaches

The microclimate in which historical buildings and objects are placed strongly influences the mechanical decay and properties of the constituent materials, especially if they are susceptible to fluctuations of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). For this reason, in this work, the attention is focused on the indoor microclimate of an historic building completely made of Scots pine wood: Ringebu Church (Norway). In particular, the indoor RH of Ringebu church has been analyzed by means of the European Standard EN15757, which establishes guidelines on assessing whether the RH fluctuations are risky for the conservation of historic hygroscopic materials (such as wood). However, for conservation purposes, it is useful to further study the entity of the RH fluctuations. In this framework, a novel simple strategy, named Median of Data Strategy (MoDS), for identifying RH drops is here proposed; the new approach, by scanning the RH time series and being tested on several examples, displays potential for better assessing the risk of degradation of wooden assets, objects, and artefacts. Then, based on evidence available in literature, a simple empirical model for computing the levels of hygro-mechanical stress developed due to hygric changes has been described and a novel tool for assessing the climate-induced mechanical risk for wooden structures has been proposed. Finally, a machine learning approach for predicting whether climatic fluctuations may have catastrophic effects on the historical wooden materials is presented as well. The obtained results show that the different proposed approaches may be useful for general assessments on the risk of decay of wooden samples and they open a pathway for future investigations in the fields of fracture mechanics, fatigue behavior and smart timeseries prediction for conservation and preservation purposes.

Antimicrobial Activity of Slow Pyrolysis Distillates from Pine Wood Biomass against Three Pathogens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of wood distillates obtained from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) sawdust in order to explore new alternatives for the utilization of wood industry by-products. The distillates were produced by slow pyrolysis thermal conversion in three process phases with increasing temperatures, namely drying, torrefaction and pyrolysis, and three cooling units with different temperatures to condensate the distillates. This yielded nine different liquid fractions. The food-related pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Candida albicans, were evaluated for their susceptibility to the distillate fractions using an agar diffusion test. The antimicrobial activity was estimated by measuring the formed inhibition zones after the incubation period. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and microbicidic concentration were assayed for a selected fraction (T2) from the torrefaction phase with Bio-screen C. The results indicated that the distillates from the torrefaction and pyrolysis phases had antimicrobial activity against the tested microbes. The MIC value of the T2 fraction for all tested microbes was 0.83% (v/v). Furthermore, the T2 fraction was microbicidic for Salmonella and Listeria strains in 0.83% (v/v) solution and Candida strain in 1.67% (v/v) solution. In conclusion, Scots pine wood distillates obtained from slow pyrolysis have the potential to be developed as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic microbes. Next, research is needed to investigate the chemical composition of the distillates and to assess their safe use.

Effects of Biological and Chemical Degradation on the Properties of Scots Pine Wood-Part I: Chemical Composition and Microstructure of the Cell Wall.

Research on new conservation treatment for archaeological wood requires large amounts of wooden material. For this purpose, artificial wood degradation (biological—using brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana, and chemical—using NaOH solution) under laboratory conditions was conducted to obtain an abundance of similar samples that mimic naturally degraded wood and can serve for comparative studies. However, knowledge about its properties is necessary to use this material for further study. In this study, the chemical composition and microstructure of degraded cell walls were investigated using FT-IR, XRD, helium pycnometry and nitrogen absorption methods. The results show that biological degradation caused the loss of hemicelluloses and celluloses, including the reduction in cellulose crystallinity, and led to lignin modification, while chemical degradation mainly depleted the amount of hemicelluloses and lignin, but also affected crystalline cellulose. These changes affected the cell wall microstructure, increasing both surface area and total pore volume. However, the chemical degradation produced a greater number of mesopores of smaller size compared to fungal decomposition. Both degradation processes weakened the cell wall’s mechanical strength, resulting in high shrinkage of degraded wood during air-drying. The results of the study suggest that degraded wood obtained under laboratory conditions can be a useful material for studies on new consolidants for archaeological wood.

Tensile Performance of Traditional and Modern Corner Joints in Wooden Structures

Corner joints are critical points of wooden structures not only in furniture construction but also in traditional wooden architecture, especially in constructions without nails. This study was performed to determine the effects of particular factors such as the axis of assembly, types of material, and adhesive on the tensile performance of various modern and traditional types of wooden corner joints. For this purpose, various corner joint specimens were prepared with three different wooden materials: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris Lipsky) wood, Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra Lipsky) wood, and Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) using two different adhesives: polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and polyurethane (Desmodur-VTKA) glues; and five different wooden joint types: dowel, tongue-and-groove, half-blind dovetail, screw, and eccentric screw joints. Tensile performance tests, vertical and parallel to the axis of assembly, were carried out according to ASTM D 1037 guidelines. Experiments indicated that, while the tensile performance of MDF specimen connected with a screw and PVAc adhesive was the highest under loading parallel to the axis of assembly (4592 N); it was the lowest under loading parallel to the axis of assembly in MDF specimen connected with tongue-and-groove joint and PVAc adhesive (260 N), respectively. As a result, it may be advantageous to apply screwed joints in corners for high tensile strength in parallel to the axis of the assembly.

Solid wood impregnated with a bio-based phase change material for low temperature energy storage in building application

Wood impregnated with a multicomponent mixture of fatty acids as a bio-based phase change material (BPCM) to improve its thermal characteristics was studied. The studied wood/BPCM composites can be used as internal elements in buildings for energy storage. Scots pine and beech sapwood were impregnated with a multicomponent mixture of linoleic acid and coconut oil fatty acids at a ratio of 20:80. Leakage test was conducted and revealed that the maximum leakage for pine and beech were 9 and 8%, respectively. Light microscopy was employed to demonstrate the distribution of the BPCM in the wood structure. Rays in both pine and beech wood served as pathways for impregnation of the BPCM to partly fill the tracheid lumens (pine) and vessels (beech). Thermal characterization of the studied samples employed T-history and DSC methods, concluding that the impregnated wood had significant thermal mass, ability to store excessive energy in terms of latent heat and keep the temperature constant for long time. The specific heat capacity of the impregnated samples was 4–5 J g−1 K−1 i.e., higher than that of the untreated control samples of ca. 2 J g−1 K−1. The thermal conductivity of the samples before and after the impregnation was measured using heat flow meter method and the results showed that the untreated beech wood had higher thermal conductivity compared to pine and the parameter improved when the cell lumens were filled with the BPCM. Scots pine wood with to 80% mass percentage gain (MPG) after impregnation demonstrated an increment in thermal conductivity of 33% while Scots pine and beech with 43 and 38% MPG demonstrated an increase of the conductivity with 8 and 11%, respectively.

Research of polymorphism of microsatellite markers of Scots pine for the purposes of forensic DNA analysis

Microsatellites as highly polymorphic markers are a valuable tool in identification and population studies. In order to form approaches to forensic DNA identification in the investigation of illegal logging cases, 17 SSR markers of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were tested using DNA from plants growing in the western and eastern parts of the Republic of Belarus. High information content was shown for six microsatellite markers. The potential possibility of using a complex of selected markers for the purpose of DNA identification of Scots pine wood samples in forensic examination has been established.

Effect of Moisture on Polymer Deconstruction in HCl Gas Hydrolysis of Wood

The HCl gas system previously used to produce cellulose nanocrystals was applied on Scots pine wood, aiming at a controlled deconstruction of its macrostructure while understanding the effect on its microstructure. The HCl gas treatments resulted in a well-preserved cellular structure of the wood. Differences in wood initial moisture content (iMC) prior to HCl gas treatment played a key role in hydrolysis rather than the studied range of exposure time to the acidic gas. Higher iMCs were correlated with a higher degradation of hemicellulose, while crystalline cellulose microfibrils were not largely affected by the treatments. Remarkably, the hydrogen–deuterium exchange technique showed an increase in accessible OH group concentration at higher iMCs, despite the additional loss in hemicelluloses. Unrelated to changes in the accessible OH group concentration, the HCl gas treatment reduced the concentration of absorbed D2O molecules.

Improved Durability of Wood Treated with Nano Metal Fluorides against Brown-Rot and White-Rot Fungi

Low-water soluble metal fluorides such as magnesium fluoride (MgF2) and calcium fluoride (CaF2) were evaluated for decay protection of wood. Initially, the biocidal efficacy of nano metal fluorides (NMFs) against wood destroying fungi was assessed with an in-vitro agar test. The results from the test showed that agar medium containing MgF2 and CaF2 was more efficient in preventing fungal decay than stand-alone MgF2 or CaF2. These metal fluorides, in their nanoscopic form synthesized using fluorolytic sol-gel synthesis, were introduced into the sapwood of Scots pine and beech wood and then subjected to accelerated ageing by leaching (EN 84). MAS 19F NMR and X-ray micro CT images showed that metal fluorides were present in treated wood, unleached and leached. Decay resistance of Scots pine and beech wood treated with NMFs was tested against wood destroying fungi Rhodonia placenta and Trametes versicolor in accordance with EN 113. Results revealed that mass losses were reduced to below 3% in wood treated with the combination of MgF2 and CaF2. It is concluded that NMFs provide full protection to wood even after it has been leached and can be used as wood preservatives in outdoor environments.

Prediction of straight tooth milling of Scots pine wood by shank cutter based on neural net computations and regression analysis

Regression models and a neural net approach were used to predict the cutting performance during milling of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) by shank cutter. The influence of rake angle, spindle speed, and milling depth on surface roughness of the workpiece, as well as the connection between the milling force and the surface roughness, were thoroughly considered. Four approaches were used to predict the workpiece’s surface roughness based on the experimental data: Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and multiple linear regression. The comparative analysis of the predictive models showed that Neural Network (NN) had preferable performance for prediction of machined surface roughness, with an R2 of 0.98. The SVM had certain fluctuations and the R2 of the multiple linear regression was just 0.87, indicating that they did not fit well for prediction machined surface roughness. In summary, the effective trend of milling parameters on the machined surface roughness of Scots pine was similar to multiple nonlinear regression, and the accurate prediction by BPNN model can provide technical support for the surface roughness of the Scots Pine and enhance shank cutter performance.

Determination of changes in the mechanical and color properties of some wood species treated with shellac

The properties of wood, which is a natural and sustainable substance, change under biotic and abiotic factors. Different methods along with chemical/natural substances are used to extend the service life of wood and increase its performance under different conditions. Shellac is a natural product secreted by insects onto host trees. It is used extensively as a coating, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Its natural properties and biocompatibility increase the areas where it is used. This study investigated the effects on the physical and mechanical properties of pine, beech, and fir species impregnated with shellac solutions at different concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The study found that 10% NaOH solution caused significant decreases in the bending strength values. The highest bending strength values were obtained for the Scots pine and fir woods at 5% shellac concentration and for the beech wood at 1% concentration. The highest modulus of elasticity (MOE) values were reached at 1% shellac concentration in all three tree species. Although the lightness (L*) of the wood samples decreased with shellac impregnation, the chromatic coordinate (a* and b*) values increased. According to the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results, changes were determined in the chemical structures of the wood samples impregnated with NaOH, whereas the shellac did not cause a change in the chemical structure of the wood samples.

Surface Wettability Of Boron And Oil-Treated Wood

Background: Nowadays, demands for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective preservatives are increasing, and new non-traditional procedures are being explored in wood protection field. Plant oils improve the dimensional stability, water repellency and equilibrium moisture content of wood, and protect wood against decay fungi by means of its hydrophobic properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of heat treatment and oil impregnation with or without prior treatment with boron compounds on wetting characteristic of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) and beech ( Fagus orientalis L.) wood. Wood specimens were impregnated with boric acid, borax and agricultural boron at concentrations of 1%, 2% and 5% followed by oil heat treated with waste and sunflower oil at 160ºC. Wettability was measured by contact angle with the sessile drop technique using water. Results: Water contact angles on oil treated specimens increased while wetting tension decreased, and the wood more poorly wetted by water compared to the controls. A change in the drop volume on the surface of double treated specimens was around 5% based on the initial drop volume. Waste oil treatment resulted in having the greatest water repellent efficiency. High loadings of boron compounds decreased the contact angle and therefore the quantity of water absorbed by the wood increased. Conclusion: Wettability was decreased in specimens pretreated with boron and this confirmed that the hydrophobic surface was created by oil. Wettability is a prerequisite for good adhesion, coating and painting and this feature may be reduced by the less hydrophilic surfaces created after oil heat treatment.

Burnt wood management enhances soil multifunctionality at the medium term after a large wildfire in north-west Spain

Background Mulching and burnt wood treatments are commonly applied to prevent the loss of soil quality and erosion, but their effect on soil multifunctionality remains unexplored. Aims We filled this gap by assessing the medium-term (4 years) effects of these treatments on soil multifunctionality after a large wildfire in NW Spain. Methods Straw mulching (SM) and cut plus lopping (CpL) treatments were applied in high-severity affected areas of heathland plant communities. CpL areas had been afforested with Scots pine 15 years before the fire. We considered four soil functions estimated in treated and burned control plots 4 years after fire: (1) carbon regulation; (2) water regulation; (3) soil fertility; and (4) nutrient cycling. The functions were integrated into a multifunctionality index and linear models were used to evaluate treatments effect. Key results SM had no impact on individual functions and multifunctionality. Conversely, CpL with burnt Scots pine wood was able to sustain higher levels of multiple functions simultaneously than control areas. Consistent trade-offs between soil functions emerged in control areas for both treatments. Conclusions Burnt wood could ensure long-lasting effects to promote soil multifunctionality in Mediterranean ecosystems. Implications We recommend using a multifunctionality approach to avoid biases in treatment success.

Influence on off-gassing during storage of Scots pine wood pellets produced from sawdust with different extractive contents

Off-gassing and self-heating are the major challenges when it comes to transportation and storage of wood pellets. The heat generated due to self-heating poses a fire risk while off-gassing of toxic gasses such as carbon monoxide (CO) and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an environmental and human health risk. With the increase in production volumes of wood pellets which has subsequently increased the amounts of wood pellets in transportation and storage, there is need to find lasting solutions to off-gassing and self-heating of wood pellets. The objective of this study was to test the off-gassing abilities of Scots pine wood pellets produced from sawdust with varying amounts of extractives. The aim is to come up with raw material pre-treatment measures so as to produce wood pellets that are not liable to off-gassing. Six (6) types of sawdust raw materials namely; fresh pine sawdust (FPS), stored pine sawdust (SPS), sawdust plus pine rosin (PRS), sawdust plus linseed oil (LOS), sawdust plus tall oil (TOS) and acetone extracted sawdust (AES) were used to produce the pellets. The produced pellets were then subjected to off-gassing tests under controlled conditions using the ECOM J2KN analyser. The concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane increased with storage time but slowed down towards the end of the nine days test period. The formation of these gasses were largely dependent on the type of extractives present in the raw material and not the total extractive content. The formation of methane started later than the other gases and coincided with the time when residual oxygen was depleted.

Comparative study of destructive, nondestructive, and numerical procedures for the determination of moisture dependent shear moduli in Scots pine wood

Abstract In this study, moisture dependent shear moduli in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood were determined by a 45° off-axis (longitudinal, radial, and tangential) compression test and ultrasonic transverse wave propagation. Finite element modeling was performed to ascertain how the results agree with the numerical method. Ultrasonic transverse wave velocities on the LR, LT, and RT planes were decreased from 1347, 1323, and 589 m × s-1 to 1286, 1269, and 561 m × s-1 when relative humidity increased from 45 % to 85 % at a constant temperature of 20 ± 1 °C, respectively. The dynamic and static shear modulus on the LR, LT, and RT planes were decreased from 988, 953, and 189, and 966, 914, and 182 MPa to 927, 903, and 176, and 845, 784, and 154 MPa when relative humidity increased from 45 % to 85 % at a constant temperature of 20 ± 1 °C, respectively. Therefore, both velocity and modulus values at all principal axes and planes were decreased with an increase in moisture. Maximum (15.2 %) and minimum (2.3 %) differences between dynamic and the static shear modulus were observed for GLT at 85 % and GLR at 45 % relative humidity, respectively. Coefficients of determinations between the dynamic and static shear moduli were ranged from 0.68 (GLR at 65 % RH) to 0.97 (GLR at 85 % RH). Finite element analysis, only for 65 % RH values, was performed using Solid 45 element, and, according to results, load-deformation curves created by linear orthotropic material properties, are well-matched with the static curves.