Response Surface Modeling of Hydrothermal Treatment Conditions on Color Changes, Strength, and Durability Properties of Rubberwood

Abstract

The effect of hydrothermal treatment at various temperatures (100 to 160 °C) and treatment times (30 to 720 minutes) on color changes (ΔE*), equilibrium moisture content (EMC), tensile strength (TS), shear strength (SS), brown-rot fungal decay mass loss (FML), and termite attack score (TAS) of rubberwood was examined. Response surface methodology (RSM) with a two-factor, four level (4 2 ) full factorial was employed. The mathematical models describing those properties as functions of treatment temperature and logarithm of treatment time were obtained. Hydrothermal treatment adversely and positively influenced mechanical properties (TS and SS) and durability (FML and TAS), respectively, of rubberwood. Strong correlations between ΔE*, TS, SS, and FML of hydrothermally treated rubberwood, proposed to be a consequence of degradation of hemicelluloses, were observed. Finally, ΔE* proved to be a good indicator of TS, SS, and FML but not that of EMC and TAS of hydrothermally treated rubberwood.

Hydrothermal Modification of Wood: A Review

“…A study on the response surface modeling of the hydrothermal modification conditions with respect to the color changes, strength, and durability properties of rubberwood was conducted by Wongprot et al [ 40 ]. They used water as the heating medium and investigated several parameters, such as the EMC, tensile strength, shear strength, and mass loss caused by fungal and termite attacks.…”

Stiffness and strength of oil palm wood core sandwich panel under center point bending

“…(8). By substituting E fL of 12 GPa, which is the mean Young's modulus of rubberwood in the longitudinal direction at the moisture content of 12% [26], the constants expressed in Table 1 and the dimensions corresponding to the test beams into the above equations, the calculated beam's stiffness can be obtained. The calculated and measured beam's stiffness of the PR and PP boards are in good agreement as shown in Fig.…”

“…By substituting σ yfL and E fL of 110 MPa and 12 GPa, which is the mean tensile strength and Young's modulus, respectively, of rubberwood in the longitudinal direction at the moisture content of 12% [26], the constants expressed in Table 1 and the dimensions corresponding to the test beams into the failure load equations, the theoretical failure load corresponding to each failure mode at various oil palm wood core density and face thicknesses can be obtained.…”

Utilization of Bamboo as Lightweight Sandwich Panels

“…Bamboo has a dominant mechanical property in tensile resistance [1]. It has been reported that the tensile strength in longitudinal direction at the top part of bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) culm was as high as 314 MPa [11] greater than that of rubberwood approximately 3 times [12].…”