The Chemistry Of Solid Wood

This 15-chapter book is divided into four sections that discuss wood's structure and basic chemistry, its properties and reactivity, and its surface and degradation chemistry. The very basis of how wood is formed and the structure it assumes during this growth are given in the first section. Various wood science terms are defined and discussed thoroughly to give a clear and adequate foundation for the rest of the book. Wood water relationship important in almost any wood applications- are also discussed in this section. The subsequent three sections discuss relations and chemistry important for the beginning wood chemist to understand. These topics include wood's cell wall components, strength, interaction with preservatives, and adhesion. Wood polymer materials, wood surface activation, weathering and protection, and pyrolysis and fire retardancy are topics also embraced.

Modern forest products research had its start hardly fifty years ago. Today we are in a position to apply the title "wood science" to the field of wood technology that is based on scientific investigation, theoretical as well as experimental. It is this research that fosters new uses for wood as a raw material and that creates the foundation for new industries for the manufacture of wood-base materials such as plywood, laminated products, particle and fiber board and sand wich construction. Wood technology in its broadest sense combines the disciplines of wood anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and mechanical technology. It is through this interdisciplinary approach that progress has been made in wood seasoning, wood preservation methods, wood machining, surfacing and gluing, and in the many other processes applied in its utilization. In 1936 the senior author published a book entitled, "Technologie des Holzes", which was a first approach to a universal reference book on wood technology. The first edition of Volume I of the Textbook of Wood Technology, co-authored by H. P. BROWN, A. J. P AN SHIN , and C. C. FORSAITH, was published in 1948. An indication of the rapid development of this field can be gained from the fact that the second edition of "Technologie des Holzes und der Holzwerkstoffe", completely revised, was needed by 1951. It contains 2233 pages compared with the 764 pages of the 1936 edition.

The degradable nature of high-performance, wood-based materials is an attractive advantage when considering environmental factors such as sustainability, recycling, and energy/resource conservation. The Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites provides an excellent guide to the latest concepts and technologies in wood chemistry and bio-based composites. The book analyzes the chemical composition and physical properties of wood cellulose and its response to natural processes of degradation. It describes safe and effective chemical modifications to strengthen wood against biological, chemical, and mechanical degradation without using toxic, leachable, or corrosive chemicals. Expert researchers provide insightful analyses of the types of chemical modifications applied to polymer cell walls in wood, emphasizing the mechanisms of reaction involved and resulting changes in performance properties. These include modifications that increase water repellency, fire retardancy, and resistance to ultraviolet light, heat, moisture, mold, and other biological organisms. The text also explores modifications that increase mechanical strength, such as lumen fill, monomer polymer penetration, and plasticization. The Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites concludes with the latest applications, such as adhesives, geotextiles, and sorbents, and future trends in the use of wood-based composites in terms of sustainable agriculture, biodegradability and recycling, and economics. Incorporating over 30 years of teaching experience, the esteemed editor of this handbook is well-attuned to educational demands as well as industry standards and research trends.

"This authoritative reference work will provide a comprehensive source of information for readers concerned with the highly diverse subject of fire retardance. The emphasis is on the burning behaviour and flame retarding properties of polymeric materials. It covers combustion, flame retardants, smoke and toxic products generally and goes on to concentrate on more material-specific aspects of combustion in relation to textiles, composites and bulk polymers. A wide range of fire retardant materials are covered including research in the new field of nanocomposites."--Knovel.

The effective and lasting treatment of wood against insect and fungal attack grows in importance as forestry reserves decline and as cost increases feed through to the building trade and other timber users. At the same time, environmental pressures bear ever more heavily on the types of chemicals and processes employed in the preservation industry. This book records the proceedings of an international meeting arranged to address such issues. The 15 principal chapters are based upon papers by invited experts to a combined audience of preservation practitioners and non-specialists. The chapter sequence follows the logical pattern of the conference, beginning with a review of the biological threats to be contended. There follow historical and state-of-the-art accounts of aqueous, organic solvent and non-liquid treatment processes. Preservatives increasingly must meet international product and environmental standards, which along with the related test, analytical and quality control procedures, are described and referenced. Contributors from the wood preservation industry address a range of needs associated with cost, safety and performance efficacy, not neglecting a search for a better understanding of the finer chemical mechanisms involved. Remaining problems are outlined in strategies for further research and development. Address a range of needs associated with cost, safety and performance efficacy Problems are outlined in strategies for further research and development