Treesearch

Lignin-poly(ethylene)glycol diglycidyl ether hydrogels were synthesized from lignin fractions readily extracted during the hot-water treatment of angiosperms: hardwoods, sugar maple and energy-crop willow, monocotyledons, grasses, miscanthus and agriculture residues, and wheat straw. These lignins represent a broad range of chemical structures and properties as a comparative analysis of their suitability to produce the hydrogels as a novel carrier of chaga–silver nanoparticles. The formation of hydrogels was assessed via attenuated total refectance Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy....

Degradation of insulation paper is a key contributor to the failure of power transformers. Insulation degradation accelerates at elevated temperatures, which highlights the potential for better thermal management to prolong life. While several studies have analyzed the benefits of high thermal conductivity oil for reducing temperatures inside a transformer, this study is an initial assessment of the benefits of high thermal conductivity paper on transformer life. Blending particulates with cellulosic fibers offers a pathway for high thermal conductivity paper (with good dielectric propertie...

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is widely used as a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tool for predicting wood properties. When deploying NIR models, one faces challenges in ensuring representative training data, which large datasets can mitigate but often at a significant cost. Machine learning and deep learning NIR models are at an even greater disadvantage because they typically require higher sample sizes for training. In this study, NIR spectra were collected to predict the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of southern pine lumber (training set = 573 samples, testing set = 145 samples). To...

Bioadhesives are promising alternatives to formaldehyde-based adhesives, owing to their excellent low formaldehyde emissions and sustainable raw materials. Among these, lignin-isolate soy protein bioadhesives (LISP), produced from soy protein and lignin, exhibiting significant potential applications across various wood products. This study addresses previously unidentified environmental impacts and economic feasibility of large-scale LISP bioadhesive production. This study evaluates the techno-economics and cradle-to-gate life cycle environmental impacts of a novel LISP bioadhesive...

The USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, was asked to inspect the main support timbers of a historic building at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin. This report summarizes the results obtained from the inspection and assessment. It includes a summary of observations, wood species identification, and recommendations.

Wood deterioration due to basidiomycetous decay fungi shortens the useful life span of wood and wood-based materials. Prescriptive preservative treatment is the most effective way to reduce the detrimental effects of these microorganisms, particularly in soil contact and areas of critical use (difficult to replace or vital to structure). Current American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) guidelines in the standardized use category system specify 3 zones of severity regarding wood decay fungal hazards but contain very little information on the diversity and abundance of these fungi...

The catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of levulinate ester to γ-valerolactone is one of the important reactions for production of renewable fuels from biomass. An efficient and robust bimetallic Cu–Ru catalyst were developed for the hydrogenation of biomass-derived ethyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone. A series of bimetallic catalysts were prepared and characterized in detail. Subsequently, the as-prepared catalysts were evaluated in the hydrogenation system of ethyl levulinate. The results showed that Cu–Ru/ZrO2–SO3–SiO2-450 catalyst provided 100% GVL yield in 12h at 180 °C. Meanwhile,...

Wood is a versatile and renewable resource utilized in a wide range of applications, including tools, furniture, construction, and advanced engineering structures. However, certain inherent properties of wood, such as moisture and ultraviolet (UV) degradation, impose limitations on its long-term durability and dimensional stability for outdoor applications. This research investigates the weathering durability of cross-laminated timber (CLT) blocks surface-treated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles synthesized via liquid-precursor flame spray pyrolysis (FSP), directly deposited onto...

Food waste especially for perishable fruit is highly problematic for a global society that continues to grow in population. Coating fruit is one such approach to minimize waste. To assess economic and environmental risks and opportunities of a novel fruit-coating solution before industrial deployment is pursued, an industrial-scale process model was developed based on an optimized experimental process to produce soy protein isolate-cellulose nanocrystal bionanocomposite coating for perishable fruits (avocado for this study). Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment were carried...

Today, the application of green materials in the building industry is the norm rather than the exception and reflects an attempt to mitigate the sector’s environmental impacts. Mass timber is growing rapidly in the construction field because of its long span, speed of installation, lightness and toughness, carbon sequestration capabilities, renewability, fire rating, acoustic isolation, and thermal resistance. Mass timber is close to overtaking steel and concrete as the preferred material. The endeavor of this research is to quantitatively assess the ability of this green material to...