Dimensional Stability of Plastic Processing Wood Material - Compression Wood and Bentwood -

This study was carried out to assess the dimensional stability of wood material treated by plastic processing for bentwood and compression wood. The evaluation method was different between two wood materials, but the treatments for them were very similar to each other. One of the main methods is heat treatment with sufficient water vapor. In bentwood, the used species were painted maple (Acer mono), bitter wood (Picrasma quassioides) and birch (Betula schmidtii). Steaming was the worst treatment method for dimensional stabilization of bentwood. The best results could be attained with PEG treatment for dimensional stabilization of bentwood. Dimensional stability of bitter wood was found to be conspicuous. However the steaming treatment at lower temperatures, i.e., about $130^{\circ}C$ was not suitable for dimensional stability of bentwood. In compression wood, the used specimen was Italian poplar wood (Populus euramericana). Two heat compressive pressing conditions, an open-press system and an air-tighten closed-press system, were used. The recovery rate was measured after boiling and/or absorbing in water to estimate the dimensional stability of heat compressed wood. The best dimensional stability of compressed wood in the air-tighten closed-press system was found to be better at $200^{\circ}C$ than $180^{\circ}C$. The best compression rate for dimensional stability was 73 percent.