• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.90-97
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• 1988

The rate of utilization of the oak cork (bark of Quercus variabilis Blume) ranges only 40-50%. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the chemical properties of the oak cork for increasing the utility. 1) The contents of alkali extractives, organic solvent extractives and ash in the oak cork are similar to those of other barks, but hot and cold water extractives and lignin contents are lower than those of the wood. The carbohydrate (cellulose and hemicellulose) content of the oak cork is similar to that of other barks. The suberin contents in the first and the second bark of the oak cork are 34.8 and 32.2% respectively, in the dry weight. 2) Inorganic component contents of the first bark are similar to those of the second. The pH of the first and the second bark are 3.9 and 4.2%. The caloric values of the first and second bark are 6,263 Kcal/kg, and 5,828 Kcal/kg, respectively, and these caloric values are higher than those of other barks. The sclerencymatous cell content of the first bark which is related to the quality of the oak cork is lower than that of second bark, the contents of the sclerenchymatous cell and lignin show the positive correlation. 3) In the dimension of the cross sectioned cork cell, the first bark is bigger than that of the second. The shape of the cork cell is globular shape in the early bark and discoid shape in the late bark. The cross and the radial section are the same shape, but the tangential section shows difference from the other section.