Paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Malta, 16-18 July, 2012.
It is of considerable importance to investigate the influence of weathering on the degradation processes of heat-treated wood. Kiln-dried (untreated) jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and jack pine heat-treated at three different temperatures (190°C, 200°C, and 210°C) were exposed to artificial weathering for different periods in order to understand the degradation processes due to weathering. Before and after exposure, their color and wettability by water were determined. Structural changes and chemical modifications at exposed surfaces were also investigated using SEM, FTIR spectroscopy, and XPS. The results revealed that the photo-degradation of lignin and the presence of extractives play important roles in color change and wetting behavior of heat-treated wood surfaces during weathering. The structural changes also influence the wettability. The effects of weathering for woods heat-treated under different conditions were similar, but different from those for untreated wood.
