Treesearch

Adhesion and agglomeration of small sticky particles, i.e., microstickies, not paper and paper machines cause serious problems for recycling mills. Because associations between materials with similar surface energies are strongest, we propose an “adhesives collect stickies” strategy to physically remove microstickies from whitewater systems. We characterized deposits from a commercial paper machine and observed a large amount of acrylate-based materials. Based on this observation, we chose to graft glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) to surfaces of polypropylene (PP) to make it more similar to the...

Buildings play a significant role in the rise of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Building operations are responsible for 28% of the world’s carbon emissions. It is crucial, therefore, to evaluate the environmental impact of various buildings’ operational phase in order to implement sustainable strategies for the mitigation of their energy usage and associated carbon footprint. While numerous studies have been conducted to determine the carbon footprint of conventional building operation phases, there are still a lack of actual data on the operational carbon (OC) emissions of mass...

The effects of the antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and the metal chelator, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in combination with cedarwood oil (CWO) were investigated for wood preservation against subterranean termites as well as two species of white-rot decay fungi and two species of brown-rot decay fungi. Vacuum pressure impregnation was used to treat wood blocks. Resistance of the treated wood test blocks was evaluated using a no-choice bioassay for termites and a soil bottle assay wood decay fungi. Eight treatments were tested: H2O only; BHT only; EDTA only; BHT with...

This study provided an insight into the projected short-term (<10 years) and long-term (next 10 to 30 years) effects of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine on global forest products trade and associated markets. The assessment was conducted by comparing the projected outcomes from the Global Forest Products Market (GFPM) model for a business-as-usual reference (no invasion) scenario and an alternate scenario representing the current trade sanctions for Russian wood products trade by several major partner countries, and the potential trade disruption in Ukraine due to their military...

Thermally modified woods are a nascent but growing industry in North America, which has seen an increase in both the number of producers as well as annual board footage of material produced. These products are being marketed as a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwoods in areas of non-structural, above ground application. The AWPA P9 committee (non-biocidal wood protection) is responsible for the establishment of Task Groups to consider nonbiocidal wood protection methods and the development of protocols for standardization. Thermally modified wood has been a continual action item on...

This research evaluated the mechanical and physical properties of three underutilized hardwood species according to visual lumber grades. Findings are discussed in relation to the requirements recommended such as density, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) for the manufacture of cross-laminated timber (CLT) industrial mats, which is a potential end use of low-valued hardwood species. Results showed that all species tested had an average MOE greater than that required for CLT lumber. Visual grading was an important component in strength determinations as evidenced by...

As the demand for sustainable energy and the importance of tocopherol increase, this study investigates the large-scale process model, economic analysis, optimum profitability scenario, and life cycle assessment of an integrated biodiesel production and tocopherol separation process using rapeseed oil deodorizer distillate. The primary objective is to evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of this integrated approach. A large-scale process model was developed based on experimental data from the literature, and comprehensive assessments of technical and economic performance,...

Applications of deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems to separate lignocellulosic components are of interest to develop environmentally friendly processes and achieve efficient utilization of biomass. To enhance the performance of a binary neutral DES (glycerol:guanidine hydrochloride), various Lewis acids (e.g., AlCl3⋅6H2O, FeCl3⋅6H2O, etc.) were introduced to synthesize a series of ternary DES systems; these were coupled with microwave heating and applied to moso bamboo. Among the ternary DES systems evaluated, the FeCl3-based DES effectively removed lignin (81.17%) and xylan (85.42%),...

Prior to use or sale, new termiticides must undergo a standardized test — and those efficacy data are subsequently submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has a specific methodology that is required for testing, and the agency relies on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) Forest Products Laboratory Durability and Wood Protection unit to do the work. These data are used to determine whether tested concentrations, applied in the studies as a zone of treated soil, are effective at preventing damage to test wood blocks in three field...

After wood–plastic composites (WPCs) began to be used in exterior applications, early failures were noticed, which created considerable uncertainty about how resistant these materials were to environmental factors such as fungal attack. To address these concerns, we began a research program to develop a knowledge base on the fungal durability of WPCs. This report summarizes approximately 20 years of Forest Products Laboratory research on this subject. Improved evaluation protocols along with the application of new instrumental techniques were used to better understand and assess the fungal...