Simultaneous treatment with oil heat and densification on physical properties of Populus × Canadensis wood

Abstract

Samples of wood from Populus × canadensis (9,5 % moisture) were treated with olive oil at 195 °C simultaneously with 15 % or 30 % compression densification, and the results were compared with samples subjected to oil heat treatment without densification, and control samples. The density of the treated samples increased by 18 %, 43 % and 1,5 % respectively, and barely changed over the six subsequent months stored inside the laboratory room (at approximately 65 % RH, 20 °C). This was due to the fact that the slight weight increment caused by the additional moisture content was offset by the increase in volume from the springback effect. When subjected to atmospheres with different relative humidities, the treated samples stabilised at the same time as the control samples, although the treated samples had a significantly lower moisture absorption than the control samples. It was also observed that the hygroscopic shrinkage in oil heat densification treatment samples was approximately half those of the control samples. The initial densification was partially lost as a result of springback: approximately 3 % in the first springback at a relative humidity of 65 % RH, and an additional 4 % in the second springback to a relative humidity of 85 % RH. Once this latter relative humidity had been attained, no new losses in densification were observed. The ageing of the oil used in the treatment caused a slight loss of densification in the densest samples.