Cell wall domain and moisture content influence southern pine electrical conductivity

Samuel L. Zelinka; Leandro Passarini; José L. Colon Quintana; Samuel V. Glass; Joseph Jakes; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

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Cell wall domain and moisture content influence southern pine electrical conductivity

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Samuel L. Zelinka, Leandro Passarini, José L. Colon Quintana, Samuel V. Glass, Joseph Jakes, Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

Year:

2016

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

Source:

Wood and Fiber Science

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Abstract

Recent work has highlighted the importance of movement of chemicals and ions through the wood cell wall. This movement depends strongly on moisture content and is necessary for structural damage mechanisms such as fastener corrosion and wood decay. Here, we present the first measurements of electrical resistance of southern pine at the subcellular level as a function of wood moisture content by using a 1-um-diameter probe. In latewood, measurements were taken in both the secondary cell wall (S2) and the cell corner compound middle lamella (CCCML). In earlywood, measurements were only possible in the CCCML. As expected, resistance decreased with increasing relative humidity (RH) in all locations. Resistance decreased more rapidly with relative humidity in the S2 layer than in any of the middle lamellae. These results give insight into how some moisture-dependent wood properties affecting ion movement may be partitioned across cell wall layers.

Keywords

wood-moisture relations, wood electrical properties, timber physics, percolation theory, wood damage mechanisms

Citation

Zelinka, Samuel L.; Passarini, Leandro; Colon Quintana, José L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2016. Cell wall domain and moisture content influence southern pine electrical conductivity. Wood and Fiber Science. 48: 54-61.