Philipp Hass

Adhesive penetration in beech wood: experiments

A study with synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) of PUR, PVAc, and UF adhesive bond lines in beech wood, bonded under various growth ring angles, is presented. The bond line morphologies and the adhesive penetration into the wood structure were evaluated after determining the hardening characteristics of the adhesives. Distinct bond line imperfections were found for the different adhesive systems. To describe the adhesive distribution inside the bond line, the saturation of the pore space instead of the commonly used maximum penetration depth seems to be adequate.

A versatile strategy for grafting polymers to wood cell walls.

The hierarchical structure of wood is composed of a cellulose skeleton of high structural order at various length scales. At the nanoscale and microscale the specific structural features of the cells and cell walls result in a lightweight structure with an anisotropic material profile of excellent mechanical performance. By being able to specifically functionalize wood at the level of cell and cell walls one can insert new properties and inevitably upscale them along the intrinsic hierarchical structure, to a level of large-scale engineering materials applications. For this purpose, however, precise control of the spatial distribution of the modifying substances in the complex wood structure is needed. Here we demonstrate a method to insert methacryl groups into wood cell walls using two different chemistry routes. By using these methacryl groups as the anchor points for grafting, various polymers can be inserted into the wood structure. Strikingly, depending on the methacryl precursor, the spatial distribution of the polymer differs strongly. As a proof of concept we grafted polystyrene as a model compound in the second modification step. In the case of methacryloyl chloride the polymer was located mainly at the interface between the cell lumina and the cell wall covering the inner surface of the cells and being traceable up to 2-3 μm in the cell wall, whereas in the case of methacrylic anhydride the polymer was located inside the whole cell wall. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and especially Raman spectroscopy were used for an in-depth analysis of the modified wood at the cell wall level.

Pore space analysis of beech wood: The vessel network

Abstract Water transport in wood is vital for the survival of trees. With synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM), it has become possible to characterize and quantify the three-dimensional (3D) network formed by vessels that are responsible for longitudinal transport. In the present study, the spatial size dependence of vessels and the organization inside single growth rings in terms of vessel-induced porosity was studied by SRXTM. Network characteristics, such as connectivity, were deduced by digital image analysis from the processed tomographic data and related to known complex network topologies.

Fully biodegradable modification of wood for improvement of dimensional stability and water absorption properties by poly(ε-caprolactone) grafting into the cell walls

Materials derived from renewable resources are highly desirable in view of more sustainable manufacturing. Among the available natural materials, wood is one of the key candidates, because of its excellent mechanical properties. However, wood and wood-based materials in engineering applications suffer from various restraints, such as dimensional instability upon humidity changes. Several wood modification treatments increase water repellence, but the insertion of hydrophobic polymers can result in a composite material which cannot be considered as renewable anymore. In this study, we report on the grafting of the fully biodegradable poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) inside the wood cell walls by Sn(Oct)2 catalysed ring-opening polymerization (ROP). The presence of polyester chains within the wood cell wall structure is monitored by confocal Raman imaging and spectroscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. Physical tests reveal that the modified wood is more hydrophobic due to the bulking of the cell wall structure with the polyester chains, which results in a novel fully biodegradable wood material with improved dimensional stability.

Improvement of tensile shear strength and wood failure percentage of 1C PUR bonded wooden joints at wet stage by means of DMF priming

Tensile shear tests according to EN 302-1 for load-bearing timber structures were performed on European beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] bonded by means of a one-component polyurethane adhesive (1C PUR). Results reveal a substantial loss of tensile shear strength (TSS) and wood failure percentage (WFP) at the wet stage compared to the dry stage. As can be seen from microscopic images, this is accompanied by a loss of adhesion at the boundary layer. Therefore, the aim of this work was to find a priming fluid that improves the load transmission between adhesive and adherend at the wet stage without introducing formaldehyde into the gluing process. A substantial improvement of TSS and WFP was achieved by means of the hygroscopic organic solvent N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In addition, contact angle measurements were carried out, revealing that DMF heavily enhances the wettability of the joining surface. Furthermore, it was attempted to integrate the outcomes into the swelling strain model stated by Frihart in 2009. By way of comparison a hydroxymethylated resorcinol coupling agent, a mixture of diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate isomers and water were also tested as priming fluids. The data confirm that TSS and WFP of 1C PUR bonded wooden joints do not correlate, whilst WFP is mostly not normally (at wet stage often bimodally) distributed.

Adhesive penetration of hardwood: a generic penetration model

An analytical model to predict the penetration of adhesives into hardwood is proposed. Penetration into hardwood is dominated by the vessel network which prohibits porous medium approximations. The model considers two scales: (1) a one dimensional capillary fluid transport of a hardening adhesive through a single, straight vessel with diffusion of solvent through the walls of the vessel; and (2) a mesoscopic scale based on topological characteristics of the vessel network. Given an initial amount of adhesive and applied bonding pressure, the portion of the filled structure could be calculated. The model was applied to beech samples joined with three different types of adhesive (PUR, UF, PVAc) under various growth ring angles as described by Hass et al. (2011). The model contains one free parameter that can be adjusted in order to fit the experimental data.

Moisture-induced stresses and distortions in spruce cross-laminates and composite laminates

Abstract The crosswise gluing of cross-laminated panels made of solid wood can cause problems when exposed to moisture variations. In the present study, the substitution of the spruce middle layer by a wood composite is tested for its influence on moisture-induced stresses and deformations in laboratory tests and numerical simulations. Furthermore, slits in the spruce middle layer were investigated. The hygroscopic warping due to a moisture gradient, stresses caused by moistening and cracks due to drying were studied. The results show larger warping in composite laminates compared to the spruce cross-laminate, which is governed by the modulus of elasticity of the middle layer. The in-plane swelling was found to be larger in composite laminates, while stresses were lower. The drying test discovered that cracks develop in the middle layer of spruce-medium density fiberboard laminates due to shear stresses and tensile stresses in the thickness direction. It was concluded that slits can be applied in the middle layer, as they have no significant influence on moisture-induced stresses but increase the thermal insulation. If the substitution of the spruce layer is required, the application of oriented strand board in the middle layer is recommended.

Generic failure mechanisms in adhesive bonds

Abstract The failure of adhesive bondlines has been studied at the microscopic level via tensile tests. Stable crack propagation could be generated by means of samples with improved geometry, which made in situ observations possible. The interaction of cracks with adhesive bondlines under various angles to the crack propagation was the focus of this study, as well as the respective loading situations for the adhesives urea formaldehyde (UF), polyurethane (PUR), and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), which have distinctly different mechanical behaviors. It has been shown how adhesive properties influence the occurrence of certain failure mechanisms and determine their appearance and order of magnitude. With the observed failure mechanisms, it becomes possible to predict the propagation path of a crack through the specimen.

Influence of growth ring angle, adhesive system and viscosity on the shear strength of adhesive bonds

Abstract To investigate the influence of growth ring angle, adhesive system and viscosity on the bonding properties of adhesive bonds, shear tension tests according to DIN EN 302-1 (2004) were conducted using one-component moisture-curing polyurethane, polyvinylacetate and urea-formaldehyde. Significant differences between the systems could be detected, which were reflected in the predominant failure behaviour for each system. Specimens showing wood failure were influenced mainly by the wood factors, whereas samples which had failed in the adhesive part of the bond differed only in the adhesive properties. The growth ring angle showed the same tendencies as it does in plain wood. Therefore, to gain more information on the adhesive performance in the bond, a loading along the LT plane seems more appropriate for beech wood used in DIN EN 302-1 (2004).

Orthotropic hygric and mechanical material properties of oak wood

Abstract The present study examines the three-dimensional hygric and mechanical behavior of oak wood. The moisture equilibrium state, characterized by the sorption isotherms, was obtained from measurements taken during adsorption and desorption cycles. Sorption behavior was analyzed with the Dent theory and compared considering the sorption direction (adsorption/desorption cycle). Sorption parameters were provided for possible numerical applications in hygric material models. The corresponding swelling and shrinkage behavior was examined and characterized by the moisture expansion parameters for all anatomical directions. Orthotropic mechanical material behavior was characterized by determining the elastic engineering (Youngs moduli, shear moduli, and Poissons ratios) and the bending, compressive and compressive shear strength material parameters. Influence of moisture content (MC) on the mechanical material properties was studied using Youngs moduli, Poissons ratios, and the investigated strength parameters. A significant difference between the sorption behavior in adsorption and desorption, known as the hysteresis effect, could be proved. Furthermore, swelling and shrinkage behavior did not show any dependency on the adsorption/desorption cycle. The results confirm the significant influence of MC on the Youngs moduli and the strength properties, however, did not validate an influence on the Poissons ratios.