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Research
at the Laboratory
of Wood Technology of Ghent
University (RUG) spans four fields of wood science: wood
quality, wood preservation, wood modification and wood finishing.
To
investigate the suitability of a certain wood species for a specific
end-product, wood quality and physico-chemical properties are
evaluated. Within the scope of genetic improvement of fast growing
species, selection criteria for early analysis of wood quality are
developed using quantitative techniques. Taking into account the
possible end-use of a species, research focuses on limiting factors
such as natural durability and dimensional stability.
Multidisciplinary research aims at identifying the causes of ‘oak
disease’ and its influence on wood properties.
New wood preservatives are screened for their efficiency
against different species of wood destroying fungi in laboratory
experiments as well as in field tests. Test methodology is also
evaluated and optimised. Wood preservation uses biocide
products and therefore additional research focuses on the possible
environmental impacts of this industrial activity.
At
the European level, two developments should be noted in relation to
fast growing wood species. On the one hand, the increasing knowledge
of the properties of fast grown wood will have an impact on its
processing and on the quality of the end products. On the other
hand, the forestry and the tree breeding sectors are showing a clear
interest in collecting more data on the influence of changed
parameters in their sector on the final wood quality.
The
interest in bamboo has developed when the laboratory became a
contractor in the FAIR project bamboo for Europe.
Intensive research has been performed on anatomical and
physico-chemical characteristics of bamboos grown in Europe.
Several techniques were used, including ESEM techniques.
In cooperation with Belgian panel producers like Unilin and
Spano, test and experiments have been performed on the chipping and
processing of bamboo at an industrial scale.
With BioComposites Centre as subcontractor extensive work has
been done on evaluating the potential of bamboo for MDF in Europe.
This work
has been presented at the IUFRO Congress in Kuala Lumpur,
August 2000.
Selected
publications:
Beckers,
E.P.J., de Meijer, M., Militz, H., Stevens, M. (1998).
Performance of finishes on wood that is chemically modified by
acetylation. Journal of Coatings Technology, 70 (878), 59-67.
Rijckaert,
V., Van Acker, J., Stevens, M., de Meijer, M., Militz, H.
(1998). Quantitative analysis of the penetration of water-borne
primers into wood by means of fluorescence microscopy. Advances
in Exterior Wood Coatings and CEN Standardisation, 19-21 October
1998, Brussels, 16p.
Van
Acker, J., Stevens, M. (1998). The impact of resin treatments on
the mechanical properties of solid wood. Cost Action E8 Workshop
‘Mechanical performance of non-standard wood’ 11-12 May,
Florence, 16p.
Vansteenkiste,
D., Stevens, M., Van Acker, J. (1997). High temperature drying
of fresh sawn poplar wood in an experimental convective dryer.
Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff, 55, p. 307-314.
Van
Acker, J., Devos J., Degeyter S., Stevens M. (2000) Bamboo as a
raw material for wood processing in Europe.
Paper presented at the IUFRO meeting in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, August 2000.
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