Effect of Heat Treatment and Use of Aluminum Foil on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Wood

Abstract

Wood is hygroscopic. It can attract and hold water molecules from its environment depending on the humidity. Heat treatment can be used to reduce its hygroscopic properties and improve the stability of the wood. The application of heat treatment and the use of aluminum foil affects the physical and mechanical properties of the wood. This study seeks to evaluate the effect of these processes on wood. Oven temperature treatment with a variation of 170 and 180 degree Celsius for 2 hours; treatment with and without wrapping with aluminum foil were employed in this study. A comparison of the wood properties was performed before and after the treatment. The results revealed that the temperature treatment and the use of aluminum foil significantly affected the moisture content, weight loss and compressive strength parallel to the grain.