• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the dimensional stability of three softwoods (Pinus densiflora S. et Z., Pinus koraiensis S. et Z., Larix kaempferi C_ARR.) and two hardwoods(Quercus mongolica F., Quercus variabilis B_L.) treated with polyethylene glycol(PEG). Existence of PEG in wood was examined by an X-ray diffraction method. Shrinkage of the sample woods decreased with increasing concentration of PEG. The dimensional stability of five species had improved highly in thirty percent solutions of PEG with molecular weight 1000~4000, and the dimension of PEG-treated softwoods was more stable than that of PEG-treated hardwoods. Weight gain and bulking effect of the woods treated with PEG increased with increasing concentration of PEG. X-ray diffractograms of Pinus koraiensis wood treated with PEG showed two peaks derived from PEG crystal at 2𝜃 = 19° and 2𝜃 = 23°. However, the diffractograms of Quercus mongolica wood did not present any peaks caused by PEG crystal. From the result of X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the content of PEG in Pinus koraiensis wood was higher than that in Quercus mongolica wood.