Mechanical and Chemical Behavior of Beech Wood Modified by Heat

Abstract

In this study the effects of heat treatment on compression strength of beech wood (Fagus orientalis) were examined, and changes in the chemical structure of the treated wood were determined by analyzing contents of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.Heat treatment was applied on the test samples in an oven at four different temperatures (130C, 150C, 180C, and 200C) and three different durations (2, 6, and 10 h) under atmospheric pressure.The results indicate that the effects of heat treatment on compression strength values generally exhibited a decrease with increased duration and temperature as expected.In the chemical properties, it was seen that hemicelluloses were the wood-cell components most degraded by the heat treatment.