Elaine Cristina Lengowski

Characterization of Pinus spp needles and evaluation of their potential use for energy.

The demand for new energy sources is growing and awakening interest in the use of forest residues. Charcoal was prepared at carbonization temperatures of 500 oC, 600 °C and 700 °C in order to evaluate the potential use of Pinus sp needles for energy. The anatomical and chemical characteristics of the needles and the charcoal produced were also evaluated. The needles were found to have ash content of 2.32% and gross calorific value of 20.30 MJ/kg. The calorific value increased by 45%, reaching 29.64 MJ/kg, after carbonization carried out at 600 oC. This value is higher than that for charcoal made from eucalyptus (19.25 MJ/kg) and even coconut husks (23.55 MJ/kg), showing the high energy potential of these needles.

Development of Composites of Highly Filled Phenol Formaldehyde Resin - Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Endocarp Particles

Abstract Considering the growing interest in the development of new materials based on renewable materials, this paper presents the results of experiments carried out with high content (80 to 95 %) of coconut endocarp particles in phenol formaldehyde resin for the development of composite material by compression molding. The morphology of the particles and chemical composition and thermal stability of both the particles and the resin were evaluated. Tensile and flexural properties of the composites exhibited significant improvements with increasing resin content, attributed to good bonding between the resin and the particles and the presence of fewer voids in the composites as well as to the microstructural homogeneity, as corroborated by the fractographic studies. The thermal stability of the composites is influenced by the proportion of particles, while the swelling characteristics are affected by the amount of resin. The results taken together suggest that the developed composite can be used for various applications.

Potential use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for pine species discrimination by examination of needles

The correct identification of pine species is necessary for proper application of wood in forest‑based industries, since the quality of each species’ wood depends on factors intrinsic to the material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of near‑infrared and visible spectroscopy in the discrimination of pine species planted in southern Brazil. Needles of Pinus clausa, P. glabra, P. kesiya, P. oocarpa, P. palustris, P. pseudostrobus, P. rigida, P. roxburghii and P. serotina were collected from experimental plantations located in the region of Rio Negro, Paraná, Brazil. The needles were dried and milled for analysis. The evaluation was performed with a spectral range of 400–750 nm (visible) and 1 000–2 500 nm (near‑infrared). Analysis using the visible spectra resulted in two principal components explaining 95% of the variation between the needle samples. In the near‑infrared analysis, it was possible to discriminate between all nine pine species studied using only two principal components, where the first explained 99% of the variation between species. Spectroscopy based on needles can be used for pine species discrimination, using the original data without mathematical treatment, in southern Brazil.

Características da Polpa kraft Extraída da Espécie Acácia-negra na Produção de Papel

Foram avaliadas as caracteristicas da polpa kraft com branqueamento (c/b) e sem branqueamento (s/b) em diferentes tempos de refino da especie Acacia mearnsii De Wild. A composicao quimica mostrou baixas concentracoes de lignina acida insoluvel, extrativos totais e solubilidade em NaOH a 1%. O rendimento bruto de 47,62% foi regular devido as caracteristicas da fibra. O Kappa foi 4,5 (c/b) e 12,3 (s/b), ambos baixos. O indice de drenabilidade 26 oSR com T30’ de refino (c/b) ficou proximo do ideal. Os maiores indices nas propriedades mecânicas foram: tracao, com 66,17 N.m/g em T30’ de refino s/b; rasgo, com 12,94 mN.m2/g em T15’ de refino c/b; estouro, com 5,21 KPa.m2/g em T30’ de refino c/b, e nas propriedades opticas, a alvura, com 81,8% em T0’ de refino c/b e opacidade em 97,1%, com T0’ de refino s/b. Com essas caracteristicas, a especie apresenta potencial para o setor na fabricacao de papeis sanitarios tissue, decorativos, dentre outros.

RESISTÊNCIA DAS JUNTAS COLADAS DE MADEIRAS DE Inga alba (SW) Willd E Swartzia recurva Poepp

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of wood bonded joints of Inga alba and Swartzia recurva using polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and polymeric emulsion of isocyanate (EPI) in weights of 150 and 200 g.m². The strength of the bonded joints was evaluated through shear tests, using the procedures described in EN 13354 (2008). The increase in weight did not influence the results of shear strength, indicating the benefits in economic terms with the reduction in the consumption of adhesive. Joints glued with the wood species of Swartzia recurve with EPI adhesive, at the two weights have reached the minimum value of 2.5 MPa concerning the lower 5th percentile established by EN 13353 (2008). The results demonstrated the feasibility of using wood of Swartzia recurva to produce edge glued panels - EGP, with EPI adhesive in weight of 150 g.m².