On the modelling of colour changes of wood surfaces

Colour has an influence on the aesthetic properties of wood surfaces, and changes in colour have an impact on each individual’s perception of wood construction materials. This study examines an approach to model the discolouration of wood during natural weathering. A novel mathematical model was used to estimate colour changes of two softwoods during natural weathering. The surface colour of fir and larch samples was determined according to the CIEL*a*b* system during natural weathering over a period of one year. In order to demonstrate the value of the model, two different weathering sites were chosen. The data collected from each site was smoothed using a local regression method, and the corresponding parameters were used to generate the confidence intervals around the smoothed curves. The results show that all three colour parameters exhibit varying differences during the weathering trial. The locally weighted regression method seems to be an appropriate approach for modelling weathering effects and could be used to simulate colour change in wood in exterior applications in the future.     

Colour in short-term thermo-mechanically densified veneer of various wood species

Effect of short-term thermo-mechanical (STTM) densification temperature and pressure on the surface colour of veneer of four wood species—alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), birch (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.), and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) as well as possible correlations among all determined colour parameters (L*, a*, b*, h, C* and ?E) were investigated. Veneer sheets were densified at temperatures of 100, 150 or 200 °C and pressures of 4, 8 or 12 MPa for 4 min. The results were compared with those of non-densified veneers. The colour change of the samples was evaluated by CIEL*a*b* and L*h*C* colour co-ordinate systems. The results indicated: the temperature and pressure of densification affected to a big extent the colour of the veneer samples, with the effect of densification temperature being more evident than that of pressure. After the densification process, the veneers darkened. Colour changes are most pronounced at the highest densification temperature of 200 °C and very small at the lower temperatures of 100 and 150 °C for all investigated wood species. The change in a* is more pronounced than the change in L* or b*. In general, alder and birch veneer samples are characterized by the highest values of total colour difference followed by pine and beech samples among the four species. The quadratic models can be used for the prediction of surface colour in the densification process. The results of this study indicate that it is possible to govern surface colouration of wood veneers during densification process on an industrial basis.     

Photo-scanning colorimetry of wood and transparent wood coatings

Although conventional spectrophotometers are well-known to give very accurate and reproducible measuring results of the wood surface colour, the areal resolution of this method is limited due to the fixed aperture size. In this study, the applicability of a colour calibrated flatbed scanner for areal-resolved colorimetry was investigated. For this purpose, the colorimetric values of several wood species calculated from images of a colour calibrated photo-scanner were correlated with those obtained by a conventional spectrophotometer. Further, this method was used to evaluate the discoloration of earlywood and latewood of Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) during Xenon arc exposure as a demonstration of the potential application of this method. In addition, an investigation concerning the possibility of image analysis for the evaluation of the colour change as a consequence of the application of transparent coatings was done. Good correlation among the measured methods could be found by applying relative colour values ΔL* Δa*, Δb* and ΔE*, whereas absolute colour values L*, a* and b* obtained rather weak correlations. The investigation of the relative discoloration of earlywood and latewood of Siberian larch showed a higher amount of discoloration in the earlywood. The investigation concerning the colour change induced by the application of transparent coatings showed that it is possible to evaluate the discoloration by the coating for earlywood and latewood separately. This could be the basis for a more quantitative comparison of quality parameters of coatings like the visual contrast enhancement effect, known as wet-look or “Anfeuerung” of transparent coatings. It was concluded that when evaluating colour changes on wood the use of a calibrated photo-scanner is a valuable addition to conventional spectrophotometry.     

Colour stabilisation of wood composites using polyethylene glycol and melamine resin

Photo-yellowing of native and polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified wood and wood/melamine resin composites was studied by means of FTIR-ATR technique and colourimetry (CIE L^*a^*b^* method). The discolouration $ \mathrm{\Delta } $ E shows a systematic asymptotic trend towards higher values with increasing irradiation time. Yellowing proceeds faster in natural wood compared to wood/melamine resin composites. Nevertheless, long-term irradiation experiments show that the total colour shift is similar for both. Discolouration is significantly reduced by PEG treatment. In comparison to untreated wood, both glycol and melamine resin mainly reduce the irradiation-induced yellow shift. Moreover, PEG also shows an effect on the redness shift. Both effects result in decreased yellowing of the composite surface. An influence of the molecular weight of PEG was detected.     

Influence of steaming on selected wood properties of four hardwood species

Influence of steaming on various mechanical and physical properties of two European (Robinia pseudoacacia L., Quercus robur L.) and two tropical (Intsia bijuga, Hymenolobium petraeum) hardwood species were investigated. Each of these wood species requires adequate adhesive systems for the use as dimension stock because of their highly reactive surface chemistry. In order to optimize the gluing behaviour of the timbers involved, steaming processes with five different sets of parameters (steaming time and temperature) were carried out. In addition to the adhesive test, bending strength, hardness, and colour of the modified timbers were examined. The result of steaming highly depends on the wood species. For black locust, steaming is a suitable method of colour homogenization and colourization. Short term, low temperature treatment improves the adhesion performance also, whereas the colour change value reaches its maximum in the case of long term, high temperature steaming. Hue shift of oak and sapupira was inconsiderable for any applied set of parameters, only a small L* decrease was observed at higher temperatures. The colour of merbau samples shifted slightly during the treatment. Bending strength and hardness of wood samples in all of the four wood species decreased during the treatment. However, steaming time is more important than temperature while aspect of colour change both time and temperature has the same significance. Adhesive properties of sapupira can be greatly improved by hydrothermal treatment.     

The effect of ionising radiation on the colour of beef, pork and lamb

The effect of irradiation (0 and 5 kGy) of beef, pork and lamb portions in retail overwrap packs and subsequent storage at 4°C was studied in relation to colour changes. The colour of the exterior surface of beef and pork was measured on the same samples on each day of storage for up to 7 days post irradiation. On day 7 the colour of a freshly cut surface was measured. The colour of both the exterior and a freshly cut surface of lamb, in similar retail overwrap packs was measured at 2, 5 and 7 days, post irradiation, different samples being used on each day of measurement. L* values of irradiated beef increased significantly with storage and a* values for unirradiated samples decreased significantly with storage. For lamb there was a general increase in L* and h(o) values and a decrease in a*, b* and C* values with storage. Analyses of the day 7 data showed statistically significant effects for species on all CIELAB parameters. Irradiation resulted in significantly higher hue angle (h(o)) values and the a*, b* and C* values were significantly higher on the exterior than freshly cut surface. There were a number of statistically significant 2 factor and 3 factor interactions. The role of formation of a carboxyhaem pigment in the colour of irradiated meat is discussed. The problem of interpretation of pigment changes from CIELAB values is highlighted.     

Photostability of white oak wood stained with metal salts during indoor sunlight exposure

Wood products that are used in indoor environments can be exposed during their use to UV–vis light through window glass. Exposure of wood products to UV–vis light can cause discoloration due to changes in structures of wood components such as extractives and lignin. In this study, the color stability during artificial aging of white oak wood stained with iron (III) and nickel (II) salts with and without a standard UV-curable finishing system was evaluated for indoor applications. To do so, color measurements were performed at different stages of the aging process. Fourier transform mid and near infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies were used to compare the rate of degradation of wood and to analyze the metals on wood’s surface. The results of this study showed that the addition of metal ions to wood had a photoprotective effect on lignin’s degradation during the first stages of artificial aging. Higher protection of lignin was shown for nickel (II) acetate-stained wood at 4% w/v. During the first 24 h, Δa* and Δb* increased for all uncoated samples, which indicates that the color of wood surface was modified to redder and yellower hues. For wood stained with iron (III) sulfate, the color of wood samples shifted from blue to dark brown. The addition of a standard UV-curable finishing system decreased the color changes for all samples. For nickel-stained wood, color changes were not perceptible after the first 24 h of aging with a UV-curable finishing system in contrary to iron-stained wood.

     

Effects of high temperature drying in nitrogen atmosphere on mechanical and colour properties of Norway spruce

Heat treatment and drying processes of wood are always accompanied by material changes. These changes are partly caused by oxidative reactions. This study aims to compare high temperature drying in inert gas atmosphere with conventional kiln drying of spruce wood. The mechanical properties as well as colour changes were measured after drying. In general, higher compression strength was observed for samples dried at high temperatures in nitrogen atmosphere. However, tensile and bending strength proved no significant difference. Corresponding to the strength values increased stiffness values were also observed for the compression samples, whereas for tension and bending samples no significant effect was visible. Up to a temperature of approx. 125 °C discolouration is prevented by drying samples in nitrogen atmosphere.     

A semi-automatic method to determine the wood failure percentage on shear test specimens

An alternative method to quantitatively determine the wood failure percentage on shear test specimens was developed, experimentally tested and successfully applied to specimens with typical combinations of adhesive types and wood species used by the glulam industry in Switzerland. The method consists of a staining technique for a better differentiation of wood fibers and adhesive, and an image processing procedure for a standardized estimation of the fractured surface ratio covered by wood fibers and adhesive, respectively. The semi-automatic method allows for a more objective determination of wood failure percentage and is suitable for quality control in the glulam industry.     

Kinetics of colour and texture changes in Gulabjamun balls during deep-fat frying

Gulabjamun, a popular Indian milk sweet, is prepared by deep-fat frying of balls of dough made of khoa, wheat flour and baking powder, and subsequent dipping in sugar syrup. Kinetics of colour and texture changes in gulabjamun balls were investigated with regard to frying temperature (120, 130, 140 °C). Crust colour was evaluated in terms of CIELAB parameters L*, a*, b*, and ΔE, and rheological properties in terms of hardness, stiffness and firmness. Frying-induced surface browning was reflected in a decreasing lightness value L* as well as the ratio of yellow hue index b* and red hue index a* and total colour expressed in terms of ΔE, L* following a zero-order change whereas the other parameters, a first-order change. Increase in the texture parameters hardness and firmness followed zero-order reaction kinetics whereas stiffness rise followed a first-order reaction. The temperature dependence of reaction constants could be explained by the Arrhenius equation. Activation energy was also obtained for both the colour and texture changes, which were in the range of 24.5-77.6 kJ/mol. High correlations between colour and texture parameters were observed and it was concluded that L* alone could be used to predict the firmness of deep-fat fried gulabjamun balls.     

Prediction of pork quality with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): 1. Feasibility and robustness of NIRS measurements at laboratory scale

The objective was to study prediction of pork quality by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology in the laboratory. A total of 131 commercial pork loin samples were measured with NIRS. Predictive equations were developed for drip loss %, colour L*, a*, b* and pH ultimate (pHu). Equations with R(2)>0.70 and residual prediction deviation (RPD)≥1.9 were considered as applicable to predict pork quality. For drip loss% the prediction equation was developed (R(2) 0.73, RPD 1.9) and 76% of those grouped superior and inferior samples were predicted within the groups. For colour L*, test-set samples were predicted with R(2) 0.75, RPD 2.0, colour a* R(2) 0.51, RPD 1.4, colour b* R(2) 0.55, RPD 1.5 and pHu R(2) 0.36, RPD 1.3. It is concluded that NIRS prediction equations could be developed to predict drip loss% and L*, of pork samples. NIRS equations for colour a*, b* and pHu were not applicable for the prediction of pork quality on commercially slaughtered pigs.     

The effect of ionising radiation on the colour of leg and breast of poultry meat

The effect of irradiation (0 and 5 kGy) of chicken, goose and turkey breast and leg muscles and subsequent storage at 4°C was studied in relation to colour changes. The colour of the outside surface was measured on the breast on each day of storage for up to 7 days post irradiation and for breast and leg and day 7. The colour of a freshly cut interior surface of both breast and leg was measured after 7 days storage. L* values of control and irradiated chicken, goose and turkey breast muscles changed little during storage post irradiation. The a* values for unirradiated goose breast were significantly higher than irradiated goose breast but declined to values similar to irradiated goose breast after 7 days of storage. The b* values for irradiated turkey breast were significantly higher than unirradiated turkey breast at all times post irradiation treatment. Analysis of variance was performed on the day 7 CIELAB values of breast muscle for the effects of species, surface and irradiation and their interactions. After 7 days storage a* values of poultry breast were higher on the freshly cut surface due to irradiation in all species, with decreases in hue angle due to irradiation. The a* values of leg of all species at 7 day post irradiation was significantly higher in the irradiated treatment than the controls. The results for the turkey leg indicate that this effect may be mainly due to higher a* values of the freshly cut surface. The possible role of carboxy form of the haem pigments as the irradiated pigment form is discussed.     

In-treatment cooling during thermal modification of wood in soy oil medium: soy oil uptake, wettability, water uptake and swelling properties

Thermal modification of wood is a process which has gained wider acceptability as an alternative to chemical treatment in wood preservation. In order to maximize the benefits of this technique several options have been adopted including the use of soy oil in transferring the heat to the wood. Available information on thermal treatment in general and the oil method in particular show that there is need for further investigations on the possibilities of improving the available options in order to evolve new techniques. Thermal treatment of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P Laws ex C Laws) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill) BSP) in soy bean oil was carried out at 220 °C for 2 hours followed by cooling inside the hot oil 180 °C and 135 °C. The surface wettability, (contact angle), amount of oil uptake, water absorption and thickness swelling were determined thereafter. The oil uptake ranged from 88 to 93.3% in the permeable ponderosa pine sapwood and from 6.1 to 11.3% in the refractory black spruce with the uptake increasing with cooling time but decreasing with increasing depth of wood in both species. Thermal modification in soybean oil increased the wettability of the surface to water (reduced contact angle). However, there were no significant changes to the surface energies due to in-treatment cooling, as determined by contact angles of water, glycerol, ethylene glycol, and formamide. There were reductions in the hydrophilic behaviour and swelling of wood as a result of the thermal treatment; in-oil cooling resulted in greater hydrophobicity and dimensional stability in the wood. In both species, there were greater reductions in water uptake and swelling with increasing cooling time.     

Mechanical properties of wood treated with PF-pyrolytic oil resins

Jack pine and sugar maple wood samples were treated in a two-step process that involved first a copper chloride or a copper chloride-sodium borate mixture and then a phenol-formaldehyde resin containing a certain percentage of softwood bark pyrolytic oil. Various controls were also prepared for comparison. The modulus of rupture (MOR) of jack pine samples was generally negatively affected by the treatment, the observed values being lower than those of the controls. These values were statistically lower or equal to those of untreated samples. On the other hand, the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of treated jack pine samples was not found to be statistically different from that of the untreated wood. Mechanical properties behaved in a similar way for sugar maple wood. Unlike the other treatments, copper chloride–sodium borate and the resin containing 85% of pyrolytic oil as phenol substitute appeared to slightly improve the mechanical properties of both wood species even if not significantly so. Treatment with PF-pyrolytic oil resin resulted in similar or slightly better mechanical properties when compared to CCA-treated wood. The amount of treating water soluble salts retained in samples after the first treatment had a significant impact on MOR of both wood species and on MOE of sugar maple.     

Effect of heat treatment on the wettability of white ash and soft maple by water

Heat treatment of wood has attracted a lot of attention both in Europe and recently in North America as an environmentally-friendly wood-protection method. The untreated wood is hydrophilic (high affinity for water). During the heat treatment, wood becomes more and more hydrophobic (low affinity for water) with increasing heat treatment temperature. As a result, it becomes more resistant to biological attacks. Furthermore, it becomes dimensionally more stable compared to untreated wood. Its hardness increases. As the wood becomes more hydrophobic, its wettability by water decreases. The effect of heat treatment is different for each species. Studying the wetting characteristics of heat treated wood gives a good indication of the heat treatment effects on certain wood properties which are related to its degree of hydrophobic character. The aim of this work was to study the characteristics of dynamic wetting process for two different heat-treated North American wood species white ash (Fraxinus americana) and soft maple (Acer rubrum). Contact angle measurements before and after heat treatment showed a significant increase in wood hydrophobicity. Advancing contact angles of a water drop were in all cases higher for heat-treated wood than for untreated wood.     

Physicochemical and sensory evaluation of wine brandies aged using oak and chestnut wood simultaneously in wooden barrels and in stainless steel tanks with staves

This study provides innovative information on the simultaneous use of Limousin oak and chestnut wood in the ageing of wine brandy. Ageing was performed in 650‐L wooden barrels and in 3000‐L stainless steel tanks with staves over a 2‐year period. Effect of both kinds of wood in the brandy features depended on the ageing technology. Stainless steel tanks with staves originated lower enrichment of the brandy in dry extract (0.89 vs. 1.25 g L^?1), total phenolics (22.33 vs. 29.40) and low molecular weight extractable compounds (119.83 vs. 231.65 mg L^?1), but promoted a faster evolution of the analytical colour (lower L*, higher C*, a* and b*) and sensory colour (topaz and greenish vs. golden). The aroma and flavour profiles of the brandy were not significantly influenced by the ageing technology. Therefore, it is a promising option for both ageing technologies because it ensures the quality of brandy, together with a lower cost of the wood and exemption of the blending operation.     

Quality assessment of heat-treated wood by NIR spectroscopy

NIR spectroscopy was tested for predicting the properties of heat treated wood using pine (Pinus pinaster) and eucalypt (Eucalyptus globulus) woods with two types of treatment: in oven and in a steam autoclave. Mass loss, equilibrium moisture content, dimensional stability, MOE, bending strength, colour CIELAB parameters and extractives content were determined. NIR spectra were obtained using a fibre probe on the radial surface of the samples. NIR models for mass loss showed very high coefficients of determination (R²) for cross validation ranging from 96–98%. The models obtained for wood properties were in general good with coefficients of determination ranging from 78–95% for equilibrium moisture content, 53–78% for dimensional stability, 47–89% for MOE, 75–77% for bending strength and 84–99%, 52–96% and 66–98% for colour parameters L, a^* and b^*, respectively. R² of the models for extractive content varied between 41.9–79.8% for pine and between 35.3–82.2% for eucalypt wood. NIR spectroscopy showed a good potential for quality control and characterization of heat treated woods.     

Effects of cutting parameters on surface quality of paper birch wood machined across the grain with two planing techniques

Helical planing and face milling were applied across the grain to surface paper birch wood prior to coating application. Three feed speeds and three cutting depths were evaluated for face milling while three cutting depths were studied for helical planing. The roughness and wetting properties of wood as well as pull-off strength of a solvent-borne coating after aging were evaluated. For helical planing, no significant effects of the cutting depth on roughness and wetting properties were found. For face milling, the cutting depth had no significant effect on the surface roughness while it had a significant impact on the wetting properties. The feed speed affected significantly both parameters. Furthermore, none of these parameters had a significant effect on the pull-off strength. However, helical planing produced smoother surfaces with equivalent wetting properties and higher pull-off strength than face milling. Scanning electron microscopy showed more exposed cell lumina and sound cells for helical planed surfaces, which enhanced their wetting and adhesion properties.     

Eigenschaften von extrudierten Holz-Kunststoff-Werkstoffen auf Basis von Refiner-(TMP-)Fasern und Hanffasern

At present, wood particles (wood flour) with a low aspect ratio are mostly used as fillers in wood-plastic composites (WPC). Reinforcement of WPC and improved strength properties may be achieved by using real wood fibres with a high aspect ratio. WPC based on 70% (wt.) refiner (TMP) wood fibres and mechanically processed hemp fibres were extruded in a two-step process. Eleven compounds based on the two natural fibre types were prepared using a thermokinetic mixer and extruded in a conical, counter-rotating twin-screw extruder. Additional formulation components were polypropylene fibres, maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene (MAPP) and lubricant. It was determined that compounding in a thermokinetic mixer is a useful step for processing of WPC with refiner and hemp fibres as little fibre damage occurred. However, during extrusion, both natural fibre types were severely shortened due to strong shear forces, and homogeneous dispersion of fibres in the matrix was not achieved. WPC based on hemp fibres displayed the best strength properties of the formulations tested. Current extruder screw and die configurations need to be modified to achieve improved fibre reinforcement and to create new, structurally demanding applications for WPC. Using dynamic mechanical analysis, fibre-matrix adhesion of WPC was investigated, and activation energies for glass transition of selected formulations were calculated. Activation energy for formulations containing MAPP was higher than for WPC without MAPP. This indicates that better fibre-matrix adhesion was achieved in formulations with MAPP.     

Chemical investigations on boiling process waters in face veneer production

Boiling processes in veneer industry generate large amounts of process water replete with dissolved wood extractives. In the present study the chemical composition of boiling waters from 18 industrially treated wood species were investigated. Contamination levels of the boiling waters varied within a wide range depending on the different extractive contents of the processed wood species and operational conditions. Boiling wood species with high extractives content, heated over several days at temperatures above 80 °C, generate highly loaded waste waters with chemical oxygen demands (CODs) of up to 7000  mg l^-1. The determination of the elemental composition, using optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), showed iron contents of up to 10 mg l^-1. Phenolic compounds were in a range of 40 to 900 mg l^-1. Flavonoid compounds and phenolic acids were identified in the boiling waters by liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC-UV). The results confirm the need for water treatment facilities to establish a recycling process and to avoid discolourations of the wood by accumulated wood extractives.