Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment
Abstract Wood has complex composition and structure, which make it difficult to achieve consistent and controllable treatment. A self-flowing process presented for the chemical treatment of wood is inspired by liquid transportation in trees during photosynthesis and tree growth, whereby liquid in th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55782-x |
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| _version_ | 1841544411833434112 |
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| author | Xuan Wang Sheldon Q. Shi |
| author_facet | Xuan Wang Sheldon Q. Shi |
| author_sort | Xuan Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Wood has complex composition and structure, which make it difficult to achieve consistent and controllable treatment. A self-flowing process presented for the chemical treatment of wood is inspired by liquid transportation in trees during photosynthesis and tree growth, whereby liquid in the soil is brought through the natural vessels and/or fiber tracheids. In this process, wood lumbers are placed in a tank containing treatment chemicals such as preservatives, fire retardants, or reactive agents. Through an absorbent sheet bridging the untreated lumber to an overflow tank, the chemicals are drawn into the lumber under capillary force and pressure difference, so that continuous treatment occurs inside the wood. Effectiveness of the self-flowing process is evaluated and compared to conventional immersion and vacuum wood treatment methods. The self-flowing method is very effective for wood delignification, which is six and four times more effective than that from immersion and vacuum pressure treatment methods, respectively. The self-flowing process allows a more uniform wood treatment compared to that from the immersion and vacuum pressure methods. A mathematical model was developed to describe the self-flowing process. This model can accurately predict the treatment time required for achieving desired results under various conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-15c44d8e58974d26915eaaa50e5c5c49 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-15c44d8e58974d26915eaaa50e5c5c492025-01-12T12:31:20ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111110.1038/s41467-024-55782-xBioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatmentXuan Wang0Sheldon Q. Shi1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Institute (AMMPI), University of North TexasDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Institute (AMMPI), University of North TexasAbstract Wood has complex composition and structure, which make it difficult to achieve consistent and controllable treatment. A self-flowing process presented for the chemical treatment of wood is inspired by liquid transportation in trees during photosynthesis and tree growth, whereby liquid in the soil is brought through the natural vessels and/or fiber tracheids. In this process, wood lumbers are placed in a tank containing treatment chemicals such as preservatives, fire retardants, or reactive agents. Through an absorbent sheet bridging the untreated lumber to an overflow tank, the chemicals are drawn into the lumber under capillary force and pressure difference, so that continuous treatment occurs inside the wood. Effectiveness of the self-flowing process is evaluated and compared to conventional immersion and vacuum wood treatment methods. The self-flowing method is very effective for wood delignification, which is six and four times more effective than that from immersion and vacuum pressure treatment methods, respectively. The self-flowing process allows a more uniform wood treatment compared to that from the immersion and vacuum pressure methods. A mathematical model was developed to describe the self-flowing process. This model can accurately predict the treatment time required for achieving desired results under various conditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55782-x |
| spellingShingle | Xuan Wang Sheldon Q. Shi Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment Nature Communications |
| title | Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment |
| title_full | Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment |
| title_fullStr | Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment |
| title_short | Bioinspired self-flowing wood chemical treatment |
| title_sort | bioinspired self flowing wood chemical treatment |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55782-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xuanwang bioinspiredselfflowingwoodchemicaltreatment AT sheldonqshi bioinspiredselfflowingwoodchemicaltreatment |