Vapor Permeability and Moisture Gradient on a Paulownia Wood for Inside Material of Furniture Making

This study was carried out to know the difference of vapor transmission on the thickness of Paulownia wood(Paulownia tomentosa). The behavior of moisture transmission of wood thickness direction is generally estimated by vapor permeability and vapor transmission resistance. In general, Paulownia wood is known to use of inside material for furniture making, because of the excellent ability of vapor adsorption and/or desorption. Quarter sawing Paulownia wood material is prepared and the thickness is 6.0mm, 7.0mm, 8.0mm, 9.0mm, 10.0mm, respectively. The measurement of vapor transmission were conducted by the "cup method" in accordance with JIS(Japanese Industrial Standard) Z-0208. The experiment was made in the condition of 49.8mmHg vapor pressure difference and $40^{circ}C$ at constant temperature. From the experiment results, it was considered that Paulownia wood is very stable on moisture variation and any other material conditions. In this experiment we found that the vapor permeability and vapor permeance was reduced with the increase of wood thickness to vapor direction and vapor transmission resistance and specific vapor transmission resistance was increased with the increase of wood thickness to vapor direction. Besides moisture contents of adsorption and desorption side were about 5 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Mean value was 9.5 percent and about 10 percent in dry oven method. Moisture gradient was reduced with the increase of wood thickness for a small moisture difference of adsorption and desorption side.