• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.229-265
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• 2012

Hygroexpansion of wood is a known and undesired characteristic in civil engineering. When wood is exposed to changing environmental humidity, it adsorbs or desorbs moisture and warps. The resulting distortions or - at restrained conditions - cracks are a major concern in timber engineering. We herein present a multiscale model for prediction of the macroscopic hygroexpansion behavior of individual pieces of softwood from their microstructure, demonstrated for spruce. By applying poromicromechanics, we establish a link between the swelling pressure, driving the hygroexpansion of wood at the nanoscale, and the resulting macroscopic dimensional changes. The model comprises six homogenization steps, which are performed by means of continuum micromechanics, the unit cell method and laminate theory, all formulated in a poromechanical framework. Model predictions for elastic properties of wood as functions of the moisture content closely approach corresponding experimental data. As for the hygroexpansion behavior, the swelling pressure has to be back-calculated from macroscopic hygroexpansion data. The good reproduction of the anisotropy of wood hygroexpansion, based on only a single scalar calibration parameter, underlines the suitability of the model. The multiscale model constitutes a valuable tool for studying the effect of microstructural features on the macroscopic behavior and for assessing the hygroexpansion behavior at smaller length scales, which are inaccessible to experiments. The model predictions deliver input parameters for the analysis of timber at the structural scale, therewith enabling to optimize the use of timber and to prevent moisture-induced damage or failure.

• 펄프종이기술
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.31-39
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• 2011

One of the main drawbacks of wood fibers based composite materials are their tendency to swell due to moisture uptake in wet and moist environments. The main contribution to the hygroexpansion usually comes from the hydrophilic wood fibers. Recent trend toward the high speed printing, copying, and precision converting precesses demands a high level of dimensional stability under various environmental conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dimensional stability of softwood bleached kraft pulp handsheets depending on wet pressing conditions. By increasing the number of wet pressing, dimensional stability was decreased because of increased fiber-to-fiber bonding. Hygroexpansion of handsheets had a linear relationship with the relative bonded area and equilibrium moisture contents. Dip elongation was decreased when the number of wet pressing was increased because of increased fiber-to-fiber bonding to resist low load in water.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.191-203
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• 2016

To investigate the dynamic sorptive and hygroexpansive behaviors of wood by different cyclic hygrothermal changing effects, poplar (populus euramericana Cv.) specimens, were exposed to dynamic sorption processes where relative humidity (RH) and temperature changed simultaneously in sinusoidal waves at 75-45% and $5-35^{\circ}C$ (condition A) and where RH changed sinusoidally at 75-45% but temperature was controlled at $20^{\circ}C$ (condition B), both for three cyclic periods of 1, 6, and 24 h. Moisture and dimensional changes measured during the cycling gave the following results: Moisture and transverse dimensional changes were generally sinusoidal. Moisture and dimensional amplitude increased with increasing cyclic period but all were lower for thicker specimens. The amplitude ratio of condition A to condition B ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 with the maximum value of 1.57 occurring at the shortest cyclic period, not as much as expected. T/R increased as cyclic period increased or specimen thickness decreased. T/R from condition B was weaker than that from condition A. Sorption and swelling hysteresis existed in both conditions. Sorption hysteresis was negatively related to cyclic period but in positive correlation with specimen thickness. Sorption hysteresis was found more obvious in condition B, while moisture sorption coefficient and humidity expansion coefficient showed the opposite results.

• 펄프종이기술
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.5-21
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• 2015

The common production methods of nanocellulosic (cellulosic nanofibrils, CNF) materials from wood are being reviewed, together with large scale applications and particularly papermaking applications. The high energy demand for producing CNF has been one particular problem, which has been addressed over the years and can now be considered solved. Another problem was the clogging of homogenizers/microfluidizers, and the different routes to decrease the energy demand. The clogging tendency, related to the flocculation tendency of fibres is discussed in some detail. The most common methods to decrease the energy demand are TEMPO-oxidation, carboxymethylation and mechanical/enzymatic pre-treatments in the order of increased energy demand for delamination. The rheology characteristics of CNF materials, i.e. the high shear viscosity, shear thinning and the thixotropic properties are being illuminated. CNF materials are strength adjuvants that enhance the relative bonded area in paper sheets and, hence increase the sheet density and give an increased strength of the paper, particularly for chemical pulps. At the same time papers obtain a lower light scattering, higher hygroexpansion and decreased air permeability, similar to the effects of beating pulps. The negative effects on drainage by CNF materials must be alleviated through the appropriate use of microparticulate drainage aids. The use of CNF in films and coatings is interesting because CNF films and coatings can provide paper/board with good oxygen barrier properties, particularly at low relative humidities. Some other high volume applications such as concrete, oil recovery applications, automotive body applications and plastic packaging are also briefly discussed.