• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.460-466
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the surface hardness of thermally-compressed larch wood by compression set and temperature. The surface hardness of thermally-compressed larch wood increased with increasing compression set and temperature. For compression set 60%, the specific gravity was increased as 0.93. However, the surface hardness was lower value as 31.1 N/$mm^2$ compared with a similar specific gravity of the tropical timber. For density profile, less than compression set 40%, compression was observed mainly surface area. On the other hand, more than 50%, density profile variation was reduced by compression of central part. Results of this study indicate that thermally-compressed larch wood can be replace some imported hardwoods such as oak or cherry. However, thermally-compressed larch wood was difficult to replace the tropical timber being imported in terms of surface hardness.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.470-477
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the change of dimensional stability of thermally compressed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) wood by post heat treatment. Specific gravity of compressed wood was notably increased with thermal compression. In the compression set 50%, compressed Korean pine showed a specific gravity of 0.84. The amount of water absorption and swelling of thermally compressed Korean pine decreased with increasing temperature and time of the heat treatment. Set recovery also decreased with increasing temperature and time of heat treatment. Thermally compressed Korean pine that heat-treated in $120^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours showed a set recovery of 3.8%, whereas non-treated group showed 11.5%. Therefore, it was confirmed that the thermal treatment was a very effective method for the dimensional stability of the heat compressed wood.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.471-485
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• 2018

Post-heat treatment experiments were carried out for complete dimensional stabilization of thermally compressed wood (Pinus koraiensis). An absorption test was carried out to evaluate the dimensional stability. The specific gravity increased from 0.43 to 0.79 by thermal compression at a compression ratio of 50% thickness. Through the post-heat treatment of compressed wood, the water absorption and thickness swelling decreased with increasing the heat treatment temperature and time. In the case of the thickness recovery rate, when the heat treatment was performed for 24 hours at $120^{\circ}C$, $140^{\circ}C$ and $160^{\circ}C$, the thickness recovery was less than 1%. Therefore, it can be confirmed that the method of dimensional stabilization method of the thermal compression wood can be carried out very effectively through post heat treatment process.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2015

We conducted a thermal compression of domestic Korean pinewood for a use in flooring. For the evaluation of flooring material, we measured dimensional stability and surface hardness of thermally compressed wood. It is possible to make high-specific gravity woods with a range of 0.82-0.92 after the thermal compression with 50% compression set. The surface hardness increased with an increase in the pressing temperature. The highest value of surface hardness was $23.6N/mm^2$, which was obtained from the thermal compressed wood with pressing temperature of $160^{\circ}C$ and 30 minutes of pressing time. However, the surface hardness of woods treated at high temperature of $180^{\circ}C$ or greater decreased. The recovery of thickness decreased with increasing the pressing temperature. For dimensional stability, compression temperature was more dominant than compression time.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.666-674
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated mechanical properties of Korean softwoods after applying thermal compression. Density of compressed woods was notably increased with thermal compression. In case of 50% compression set, density of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), Japanese red pine (P. densiflora), and Larch (Larix kaempferi) wood was increased by 71%, 74%, and 76%, respectively, when compared to the control group. The strength of woods was increased and quality of the woods became homogeneous with an increases in the compression set. On the 50% compression set, the compressive strength, bending strength, and hardness of Korean pine wood was increased by 76%, 83%, and 55%, respectively compared to the control group. Longitudinal compressive strengths of Japanese red pine wood increased by 69%, 130%, and 76%, respectively and those of Larch wood increased by 77%, 120%, and 44%, respectively. In thermal compression wood, mechanical properties of Larch wood was the highest, while those of Korean pine wood were the lowest. However, Japanese red pine wood showed the highest in the increase rate of mechanical properties after the thermal compression.