• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.122-134
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of torrefied larch wood as a raw material of pellets. First of all, larch chip was torrefied at the temperatures of 230, 250 and $270^{\circ}C$ for 30, 50 and 70 min. Secondly, moisture content, moisture absorption, higher heating value and ash content of the torrefied chip were measured to examine the effects of torrefaction conditions on the fuel characteristics of larch. Thirdly, surfaces of the torrefied chip were observed by light microscope (LM), field emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM) and SEM-energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDXS). With the increases of torrefied temperature and time, contents of lignin increased and those of hemicellulose reduced. Moisture content of torrefied larch chip was greatly lower than that of non-torrefied chip. Moisture absorption of the torrefied chip decreased as torrefaction temperature increased. As torrefaction temperature increased, higher heating value and ash content of larch chip increased. However, durability of torrefied-larch pellets was remarkably lower comparing to non-torrefied-larch pellets. When surface of larch chip was observed by LM and FE-SEM, surface color and cell wall of the chip was getting darker and more collapsed with the increases of torrefaction conditions. Through the analysis of SEM-EDXS, distribution and quantity of lignin existing on the surface of larch chip increased with the increases of torrefied conditions. In conclusion, $270^{\circ}C$/50 min might be an optimal condition for the torrefaction of larch with the aspect of fuel characteristics, but torrefaction condition of $230^{\circ}C$/30 min should be considered according to the durability of torrefied-larch pellets.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.608-617
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• 2020

For efficient use and expansion of domestic small- and medium-diameter woods, cross-laminated wood panels composed of tropical hardwoods and domestic temperate woods were fabricated, and the bending creep behavior under long-term loading was investigated. The bending creep curve of the cross-laminated wood panels showed an exponential function graph with a sharp increase at the top right side. The wood panel composed of a teak top layer and larch core and bottom layers recorded the highest initial deformation, and that composed of a merbau top layer and tulip core and bottom layers showed the lowest initial deformation. Creep deformation of the cross-laminated wood panels showed the highest value in that composed of a teak top layer and larch core and bottom layers and showed the lowest value in that composed of a merbau top layer and tulip core and bottom layers. The obtained creep deformation is 3.1-4.3 times that of merbau, however, it is remarkably lower than that of tulip and larch. The highest relative creep was recorded by the wood panel composed of merbau top layer and larch core and bottom layers, whereas that composed of the teak top layer and tulip core and bottom layers showed the lowest relative creep.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.258-268
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sawdust size and moisture content, pelletizing temperature and time on the durability of the pellets fabricated with larch and tulip tree sawdust. The durability of larch-pellet was significantly higher than that of tulip tree-pellet. For the larch-pellets, the durability of the pellets fabricated with > 18 mesh sawdust was higher than that of 8~18 mesh sawdust. With the increases of pelletizing temperature and time, the durabilities of larch- and tulip tree-pellets steadily improved. The durabilities of larch- and tulip tree-pellets also increased as the moisture content of sawdust increased. In the comparison of durabilities between commercial pellets and larch- or tulip tree-pellets, the pellets fabricated with larch and tulip tree sawdusts in our study were less denser than commercial pellets, but the durability of most larch-pellets was satisfied with the 1st-grade pellet standard designated by Korea Forest Research Institute. In addition, the durability of tulip tree-pellets were higher than that of the 3rd-grade pellet standard. From the scanning electron microscopic observation of larchand tulip tree-pellets, the gap between the sawdusts of each pellet was reduced with the increases of pelletizing temperature and time. In particular, it was visually confirmed that the surface of the pellets made with the pelletizing temperature of $180^{\circ}C$ for 3 min did not differ from that of commercial pellets.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.302-308
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• 2016

It has been known that acetylation improves the dimensional stability of wood. Liquid phase acetylation is more popular than gas-phase acetylation for the effectiveness of weight gain of wood. In this study the specimens of domestic red and Korean pines are acetylated in liquid phase and their physical properties, such as density, bending strength, anti-hygroscopicity etc., are analyzed. Acetylation increases the average weights and volume of larch specimens by 11.4% and 3.4%, respectively, and their average oven-dry densities are increased by $0.03g/cm^3$. Acetylation does not influence on Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE). The average Percentage Reduction in Hygroscopicity (PRH) and average Percentage Reduction in Water soaking (PRW) of larch specimens are respectively 20.2% and 20.8%. Thus it can be concluded that acetylation improves the dimensional stability of larch specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.6-8
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• 1980

Japanese larch veneer, Cryptomeria veneer and japanese cypress veneer were peeled with condition of nose bar pressure at 5%, 10%, 15%, to find the optimum nose bar pressure. 1. Optimum nose bar pressure was 15% in 2mm thickness veneer of japanese larch. 2. Optimum nose bar pressure was 5% in 2mm thickness veneer of Cryptomeria. 3. Optimum nose bar pressure was 15% in 2mm thickness veneer of japanese cypress.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.525-534
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• 2017

The study aims to observe the cellular anatomical properties of Dahurian larch and Japanese larch for the species identification. In addition, other factors - the ring width, tracheid length, density, and strength - were compared and analyzed to clarify their physical and mechanical properties. To the end, three Dahurian larch trees and three Japanese larch trees by each diameter class were collected as specimens from Jeongseon-eup, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do, to conduct a stem analysis. It was found that the average stand age, average diameter at breast height, and average tree height of three Dahurian larch trees and Japanese larch trees were 74 years and 51 years, 442 mm and 352 mm, and 26.1 m and 20.8 m, respectively. The cellular anatomical difference between Dahurian larch and Japanese larch can be usually found by spiral thickening, considering that it doesn't occur in Dahurian larch at all, while rarely does in the ray tracheids of Japanese larch. However, in this study, spiral thickening was not observed in the radial section of Japanese larch. The average annual growth diameters measured at 1.2 m-height of Dahurian larch and Japanese larch were 5.167 mm and 5.954 mm, respectively. Meanwhile, arboreal growth of Japanese larch was observed to be higher than that of Dahurian larch. In the physical properties test, it was measured that the latewood proportion and oven-dry density of Dahurian larch with low annual diameter growth were higher than those of Japanese larch, while the mechanical properties of Dahurian larch wood were measured 2-7% higher than those of Japanese larch wood. The data obtained from this study are expected to be used as the basic reference for species identification between Dahurian larch and Japanese larch by DNA analysis.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2017

Recently, as people's interest in wood has increased, the use of wood as household and landscape decking materials has increased. As the deck material, imported wood such as synthetic wood, Ipe, and Malas was used in addition to the existing preserved wood, but recently deck use has been activated as part of the activation of domestic materials. As an important quality factor in the selection of such decking materials, various durability along with weatherability for long - term use is required for maintenance. Generally used tropical hardwoods have excellent weatherability and durability without additional preservative treatment. However, the domestic larch is a wood species with a higher specific gravity and durability than ordinary conifers. However, it has not yet been used as a deck material due to lack of comparative studies on its characteristics. Therefore, hardness and durability of wood were measured using six specimens of Ipe, Massaranduba, Malas, Douglas-fir, Larch and Torrefied-Larch. Density Profile was used to measure the density, and Brinell hardness test and resistance test against momentary impact were carried out for the test of resistance to static load. Also, The hardness and durability of wood were measured by castor test with resistance test against dynamic load, as well as, nail down test by experiment on surface hardness and durability. As a result of the experiment, the hardness was increased in proportion to the density, and it was confirmed that the imported lumber was harder and durable than the domestic larch.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

Densified fuels from biomass are widely used in North America and Europe as a regenerable and clean bioenergy. In this study, the fuel characteristics and densification characteristics of Japanese larch and Hyunsasi poplar were studied using a piston-type briquetting machine. The effects of pressure, pressure holding time, species, and particle size on briquette characteristics were studied. At room temperature, the highly densified briquettes of Japanese larch and Hyunsasi poplar can be produced at a compression pressure of 110~170 MPa. The produced briquettes have densities between 0.66 and 0.94 g/$cm^3$ after 28 days of storage at room temperature. The optimum pressure holding time was found to be 12 seconds. There is a linear increase in pressure with increase in density. The densities of briquettes from Japanese larch were higher than those of briquettes from Hyunsasi poplar. Also, the coarser particle size resulted in higher densities in briquettes than the finer particle size.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.237-245
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• 2022

This study examined the structural performance of experimental parallel strand lumber (PSL) from a Larch veneer strand. The prototype of PSL from a Larch veneer strand was manufactured in the experimental laboratory and tested. The bending and dowel bearing strength were determined from the modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and dowel bearing strength based on a 5% offset yield load. The test results indicated that the average MOR of PSL was higher than that of 2 × 4 dimension lumber, and the average MOE of PSL was lower than that of 2 × 4 dimension lumber. A linear relationship was observed between the MOR and MOE. The allowable bending stress of PSL was derived as specified in ASTM D2915 and compared with other research. The dowel bearing strength of PSL in parallel to the grain was approximately double that perpendicular to the grain of PSL. A comparison of several theoretical calculations based on each national code for the dowel bearing strength was conducted, and some theoretical equations produced results closer to the experimental results when it was parallel to the grain, but the difference was higher in the case perpendicular to the grain. The test results showed that PSL made with Japanese larch veneer strands appeared to be suitable for a raw material of structural composite lumber (SCL) appeared to be used as a raw material for SCL.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.8-16
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• 2002

This study was performed to produce the high reactive lignin zero substrates from autohydrolyzed wood resources. In chemical compositions of used raw-materials, there were significant differences between two species, Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) and oak (Quercus mongolica) woods. Japanese larch contained 25 to 3.5 times higher amounts of extractives than oak wood, which is mainly derived from high content of arabinogalactan in Japanese larch wood. Oak wood has 5% lower lignin content and 3% higher holocellulose and pentosans than larch wood. Concerned to changes in wood components during autohydrolysis pretreatment at 22 kg/cm² steaming pressure for 5~60 min, glucose content was constant during pretreatment, while hemicellulose and lignin were abruptly changed. Hemicellulose fraction was decreased significantly and lignin contents increased because of its condensation reaction with hemicellulose degradation products. The pH of hydrolyzates during pretreatment was decreased, reached upto pH 3 and since then leveled off. In the case of oak wood, same tendency was observed as in Japanese larch. Autohydrolysis followed by sodium chlorite and sulfite or bisulfite pretreatment was very effective in delignification of the substrates. In particular, two-stage delignification of autohydrolyzed woods with alkali and O₂-alkali resulted in very low lignin content substrates, such as 0~0.2% lignin substrate.