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Medical students have enthusiastically embraced the use of virtual reality (VR) systems to help them understand the complex anatomy of body components. We hypothesize that students studying the structure and protection of wood will show similar acceptance of VR systems. We developed X-ray micro-CT models to show the distribution of silica in the Australian marine borer resistant timber, satinay and copper in treated pine. Students taking a course in wood protection used a VR device to explore the distribution of silica in satinay and copper in pine. Students were surveyed to assess their views on the system as a learning tool. The results showed that students were very positive about the VR system, and they frequently commented that the system was better than traditional methods at aiding understanding of wood structure/protection. We discuss the limitations and potential of our VR system as a learning tool for wood technology.

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The properties of wood plastic composites (WPCs) depend on their microstructure, particularly the level and geometry of wood reinforcement in the composite. We hypothesize that impregnating a WPC with a radiocontrast agent will increase the contrast between wood and plastic, allowing better visualization of its microstructure and numerical analysis of the geometry of its wood reinforcement. A commercial WPC was scanned using X-ray micro-CT, impregnated with aqueous sodium iodide, and then rescanned. CT data from both scans were visualized, and we analyzed the geometry of wood reinforcement and levels of wood, plastic, zinc borate (ZB), and voids in the WPC. ZB occurred mainly as discrete particles between wood flakes, and interfacial voids formed a network of cracks within the WPC. Sodium iodide labeling made it possible to clearly visualize wood and plastic in the WPC and quantify levels of different phases and the geometry of wood particles. However, sodium iodide was not an ideal contrast agent because it swelled wood particles, closed interfacial voids, and partially dissolved ZB particles. We suggest methods of overcoming these limitations and conclude that advances in labeling are necessary to improve our understanding of the relationship between the microstructure of WPCs and their properties.