MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF HYDROTHERMALLY TREATED OIL PALM WOOD IN DIFFERENT BUFFERED PH MEDIA

Authors

  • Seyed Eshagh Ebadi
  • Zaidon Ashari Ashari Professor, Department of Forest Production, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Hamid Reza Naji Assistant Professor, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran.
  • Mohammad Jawaid Institute of Tropical Forestry & Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Mojtaba Soltani
  • H'ng Paik San

Keywords:

Oil palm wood, Mechanical properties, Buffered media, Thermal modification

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine mechanical properties of oil palm (Elaeis Guineensis) wood (OPW) in different buffered pH media; alkaline (pH 8), acidic (pH 5) and water at a temperature of 140 ºC for 120 min. The OPW samples were taken from outer part of trees. The modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), the compression strength parallel to grain (PCII) and hardness strength (HB) were measured on treated and untreated samples. The different buffer media significantly affect the mechanical properties of OPW. The results of MOE, MOR, PCII and HB of treated specimens showed a significant decrease compared to untreated specimens. The PCII and HB properties were significantly different between treated samples in water and pH 5 with the treated samples in pH 8 and also untreated samples. It was concluded that the hydrothermal treatment in the buffered medium decreased significantly the mechanical properties of treated specimens of OPW that could be related to the degradation of hemicelluloses. This highly affects bending and tensile strengths of the OPW.

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Published

2016-08-11

Issue

Vol. 48 No. 3 (2016)

Section

Research Contributions

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