The influence of inorganic elements on lignin ‐based carbon fibre (CF) quality was studied using sulphates of Na +, K+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Al3+. The metal sulphates were added to wet spun prefibres made from softwood kraft lignin (SKL):cellulose (70:30) and melt spun prefibres made from low molecular mass SKL. An increase in concentration from 0.1 w% to about 0.4 w% did neither affect the mechanical properties nor the morphology as observed by SEM. In contrast, metal sulphates added to the initial 0.45 w% to a total range 1.5 to 5.0 w%, was found detrimental to the melt spinning and to the final CF quality. Thus, the recommendation of <0.1 w% ash in kraft lignin may be exceeded, but more research is needed to establish the upper concentration limit.

Wood decay is addressed continuously within thewood industry through use and development of wood preservatives.The increasing awareness on the negative effects of many chemicalstowards the environment is causing political restrictions in their useand creating more urgent need for research on green alternatives.This paper discusses some of the possible natural extracts for woodpreserving applications and compares the analytical methodsavailable for testing their behavior and efficiency against decayfungi. The results indicate that natural extracts have interestingchemical constituents that delay fungal growth but vary in efficiencydepending on the chemical concentration and substrate used. Resultsalso suggest that presence and redistribution of preservatives in woodduring exposure trials can be assessed by spectral imaging methodsalthough standardized methods are not available. This studyconcludes that, in addition to the many standard methods available,there is a need to develop new faster methods for screening potentialpreservative formulation while maintaining the comparability andrelevance of results.

The chapter deals with different aspects on the use and performance of bio-based building materials in constructions and buildings.

To meet the demand for carbon-fibre-reinforced composites in lightweight applications, cost-efficient processing and new raw materials are sought for. Cellulose and kraft lignin are each interesting renewables for this purpose due to their high availability. The molecular order of cellulose is an excellent property, as is the high carbon content of lignin. By co-processing cellulose and lignin, the advantages of these macromolecules are synergistic for producing carbon fibre (CF) of commercial grade in high yields. CFs were prepared from precursor fibres (PFs) made from 70:30 blends of softwood kraft lignin (SW-KL) and cellulose by dry-jet wet spinning with the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIm][OAc]) as a solvent. In focus was the impact of the molecular mass of lignin and the type of cellulose source on the CF yield and properties, while membrane-filtrated kraft lignin and cellulose from dissolving kraft pulp and fully bleached paper-grade SW-KP (kraft pulp) served as sources. Under the investigated conditions, the yield increased from around 22% for CF from neat cellulose to about 40% in the presence of lignin, irrespective of the type of SW-KL. The yield increment was also higher relative to the theoretical one for CF made from blends (69%) compared to those made from neat celluloses (48-51%). No difference in the mechanical properties of the produced CF was observed.

There is an increasing demand for lightweight composites reinforced with carbon fibers (CFs). Due to its high availability and carbon content, kraft lignin has gained attention as a potential low-cost CF precursor. CFs with promising properties can be made from flexible dry-jet wet spun precursor fibers (PFs) from blends (70:30) of softwood kraft lignin and fully bleached softwood kraft pulp. This study focused on reducing the stabilization time, which is critical in CF manufacturing. The impact of stabilization conditions on chemical structure, yield, and mechanical properties was investigated. It was possible to reduce the oxidative stabilization time of the PFs from about 16 h to less than 2 h, or even omitting the stabilization step, without fusion of fibers. The main reactions involved in the stabilization stage were dehydration and oxidation. The results suggest that the isothermal stabilization at 250 °C override the importance of having a slow heating rate. For CFs with a commercial diameter, stabilization of less than 2 h rendered in tensile modulus 76 GPa and tensile strength 1070 MPa. Impregnation with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate significantly increased the CF yield, from 31-38 to 46-50 wt %, but at the expense of the mechanical properties.

Stabilisation of the prefibre is a time-consuming step in carbon fibre (CF) production. In this paper the stabilisation condition of dry-jet wet-spun lignin-cellulose (LC) prefibres (70:30  t%) are reported. The impact of prefibre-impregnation by ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADHP) and various thermal conditions were evaluated by measuring the yield and mechanical properties of the final CFs. The addition of ADHP improved the CF yields from 32-40 wt% to 45-47 wt% but had a slight negative impact on the tensile modulus (TM) whereas no significant difference in tensile strength (TS) was observed. The absence of fibre fusion and glass transition temperature (Tg) indicate successful stabilisation of all prefibres. This implies possibilities of using short stabilisation times of LC prefibres in CF production.

Lignin, a substance considered as a residue in biomass and ethanol production, has been identified as a renewable resource suitable for making inexpensive carbon fibers (CFs), which would widen the range of possible applications for light-weight CFs reinforced composites. Wet spinning of lignin-cellulose ionic liquid solutions is a promising method for producing lignin-based CFs precursors. However, wet-spinning solutions containing lignin pose technical challenges that have to be solved to enable industrialization. One of these issues is that a part of the lignin leaches into the coagulation liquid, which reduces yield and might complicate solvent recovery. In this work, the mass transport during coagulation is studied in depth using a model system and trends are confirmed with spinning trials. It was discovered that during coagulation, efflux of ionic liquid is not hindered by lignin concentration in solution and the formed cellulose network will enclose soluble lignin. Consequently, a high total concentration of lignin and cellulose in solution is advantageous to maximize yield. This work provides a fundamental understanding on mass transport during coagulation of lignin-cellulose solutions, crucial information when designing new solution-based fiber forming processes.

The purpose of the impregnation stage is to ensure that cooking chemicals reach all parts of the chips. However, as alkali comes into contact with wood, reactions take place, which alter the paths available for ionic transport and dissolve wood components. The aim of the present study is to establish the most favorable impregnation conditions, which result in an even alkali concentration profile through the chip at a sufficiently high level without extensive yield losses due to peeling. Softwood chips were subjected to different impregnation conditions. The progress of impregnation was assessed by analyzing the concentration of hydroxide ions in the bound liquor inside wood chips and the release of acetic acid. The extent of undesired reactions was measured as the amount of carbohydrate degradation products formed and amount of wood dissolved. Increased temperature and time lead to more degradation of the carbohydrates during impregnation. At high temperature, the concentration of alkali in the bound liquor was lower due to higher alkali consumption in degradation reactions. The most favorable process is to perform impregnation at an elevated initial effective alkali (EA) for a short time. This resulted in an increased alkali concentration in the bound liquor within the chip without extensive carbohydrate degradation.

This deliverable is a process report of tasks 7.2 and 7.3 concerning the techno-economic and environmental evaluation of the SaltGae system. It also describes the plan forward to execute task 7.4 and 7.5 regarding the social and integrated sustainability assessments. The last section also includes a process report of the SaltGae Visualisation tool (SVT).

Furfurylation is one of the wood modification techniques via catalytic polymerization of the monomeric furfuryl alcohol (FA) in the impregnated cell wall. Little is known about the topochemistry of this process. Brown rot degradation begins with lignin modification and therefore, the reactions between FA and lignin was one focus of this research. Furfurylated radiata pine (Pinus radiata) with three different weight percent gains (WPGs of 57%, 60% and 70%) after FA uptake was observed by cellular ultraviolet microspectrophotometry (UMSP) to analyze chemical alterations of the individual cell wall layers. Moreover, light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed. The ultraviolet (UV) absorbance of the modified samples increased significantly compared to the untreated controls, indicating a strong polymerization of the aromatic compounds. Highest UV absorbances were found in areas with the highest lignin concentration. The UMSP images of individual cell wall layers support the hypothesis concerning condensation reactions between lignin and FA.

Durability tests of wood materials related to constructions in Björnlandet National Park

The aim of the present study, primarily initiated by the Swedish Environmental Agency, is to study the durability of different wood materials related to and used in constructions in Björnlandet National Park in northern Sweden (63°97´N, 18°05´E), completed during 2014 and 2015. Of particular interest is to determine the durability properties in a scientific way of local materials used, such as mountain-grown Norway spruce and locally grown Scots pine and larch. The effect on the performance of charring and superficial wood-tar treatment is also studied.

The study consists of a laboratory test according to ENV 807, a field trial according to EN 252 and a service trial on-site in the national park, including constructions such as load-bearing piles, ramps, foot-bridges and platforms. Results from the tests according to ENV 807 and EN 252 as well as the initial inspection of the constructions and components of different materials are presented in this report.

During the initial inspection of the constructions on site, then in use for 1-2 years, no decay was found besides a small initial attack on one single pile of larch.

The accelerated tests in laboratory and field have provided interesting information on the durability properties of the different materials and the ranking between them from a durability point of view which can be concluded as follows:

• The local materials show moderate durability with marginal differences between the materials, with the exception of the spruce materials which show lower durability, comparable to the durability of pine sapwood.

• Heartwood of locally grown pine and larch show basically equal durability properties.

• Slow-grown wood will not enhance the durability properties.

• Superficial treatment with wood-tar contributes so far to a somewhat increased durability. However, the primary positive effect is most certainly owing to the smell and appearance of wood treated with wood-tar, which in certain environments contributes to a positive perception. Charring does not add any value from a durability point of view.

It is important that the results of the laboratory and field tests are interpreted with some care and common sense. The relatively extensive decay achieved with all materials but the preservative-treated wood does not necessarily mean that the constructions will be subject to early decay. With respect to the geographical location of Björnlandet National Park in the inland of northern Sweden, where the decay hazard in general is moderate, the local materials can thus be expected to have a reasonably long service.

However, results from the tests indicate that efforts to select local materials/use "traditional" treatments most certainly will not result in longer service life than can be achieved with corresponding materials commercially available.

Finally, it is pointed out that:

• Avoiding moisture traps by correct design of components and constructions is vital for the service life when "traditional" local materials and treatments are used.

• Preservative treatment will in general give critical wooden constructions a longer service life. The use of untreated wood involves more uncertainty with expected service life. Regular inspections and maintenance are therefore particularly important for constructions critical to personal safety (e.g. foot bridges, ramps) or infrastructure (e.g. bridges).

•

Urgent future objectives to complete are the inspections of the field trial until remaining stakes have been exposed for five years, and to follow up the service trial in Björnlandet National Park with inspections in 4-5 years, i.e. in 2022 or 2023 in order to confirm or reassess the preliminary conclusions.

This literature review covers open publications and reports on the subject of nanocellulose and its possible toxicological effects. There is currently a rather low number of peer reviewed articles on the subject. However, from the articles reviewed, caution of inhalation of nanocellulose would be recommended since in vivo tests have shown immunotoxicity effect on lungs even though residues of other production chemicals, biocides and endotoxins from bacterial contamination might affect the results.

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) enables the designing and producing of complex geometries in a layer-by-layer approach. The layered structure leads to anisotropic behaviour in the material. To accommodate anisotropic behaviour, geometrical optimization is needed so that the 3D printed object meets the pre-set strength and quality requirements. In this article a material description for polymer powder bed fused also or selective laser sintered (SLS) PA12 (Nylon-12), which is a common 3D printing plastic, was investigated, using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The Material Model parameters were obtained by matching them to the test results of multipurpose test specimens (dumb-bells or dog bones) and the model was then used to simulate/predict the mechanical performance of the SLS printed lower-leg prosthesis components, pylon and support. For verification purposes, two FEM designs for a support were SLS printed together with additional test specimens in order to validate the used Material Model. The SLS printed prosthesis pieces were tested according to ISO 10328 Standard. The FEM simulations, together with the Material Model, was found to give good estimations for the location of a failure and its load. It was also noted that there were significant variations among individual SLS printed test specimens, which impacted on the material parameters and the FEM simulations. Hence, to enable reliable FEM simulations for the designing of 3D printed products, better control of the SLS process with regards to porosity, pore morphology and pore distribution is needed.

Non-process elements (NPEs) are elements present in the process streams without taking part in the desired reaction. With increasing process closure and new NPE-rich input streams such as gasified bark in the lime kiln and the destruction of biosludge in the recovery boiler, the traditional purge points may prove insufficient. A new method to remove NPEs is suggested: Removal of NPEs from tall oil brine. The idea is based on the fact that many elements are enriched in the soap and separated from the black liquor but are later led back to the black liquor with the brine. The results showed strong enrichment of Ba, Ca, Mg, Mn, P and Zn in soap; an enrichment factor of 8 or higher was observed. Laboratory experiments where tall oil brine has been alkalized and subjected to a separation stage have been conducted. The laboratory experiments showed that more than 90% of Al, Ba, Mg, Mn and P precipitates and could be removed with the solid phase if alkalized to pH 11. The separation efficiency varied for Ca and Si from 70-85 %. To conclude, removal of non-process elements from tall oil brine is a promising new kidney, especially for P and Si.

The project has two clear objectives: firstly to investigate the ability of the grading systems to optimize the value of production and, secondly, to investigate whether different grading rules are advantageous in different situations. Both studies have been carried out in cooperation with manufacturers and users of the systems.

A study to investigate the ability of modern grading systems to optimize the value of the production in final grading stations has been performed. Pine and spruce, side boards and centre boards, have been studied in 15 studies with 15 sawmills and 5 different grading systems. One of the studies was a "method study" and is not included in the summaries. Therefore, 14 studies in the summary include 8 pine and 6 spruce studies, with both planks and boards, a total of 28 batches, with 100 to 200 timber pieces in each. A total of 4063 timber pieces were included. The sawmill's own grading rules and prices have been used. The system's decisions have been compared with a manual decision, with the help of caliper and measuring tape. Calculations of value and quality yield have been performed. All manufacturers have at least one study with 99% or 100% value yield, the quality yield’s "Equal" value of 93% or higher and "OK" value of 93% or higher. The median value of all studies is 98% for the value yield and 89% and 91% respectively for the two quality yield values.

A functioning system, well-maintained and updated, with dedicated staff, should be able to achieve a 98% value and 95% quality yield.

A simulation of the outcome of grading with the grading rules Nordic Wood (the Gray Book) and the SS-EN 1611-1 standard has been performed to see if there are any differences in yield. The simulation shows that in the vast majority of cases, it is more economically advantageous to use SS-EN 1611-1 than Nordic Wood. The rules are similar but different. For example, larger knots are in some cases allowed in SS-EN 1611-1 than in the corresponding grade in Nordic Wood.

Which grading rule the sawmill will use depends on which customers you have, what requirements the customers have and the price for the products.

The Digital Sawmill is a project that has been going on for two years, 2017-2018. The project is funded by Vinnova and the participating companies Moelven Industrier, RemaSawco, Schneider Electric and RISE. The aim of the project was to, by digitizing the sawmill's production and process data, increase the process efficiency by 15%, increase the product value by 10% and reduce energy consumption by 10%.

Installations and practical work on site has been performed at Moelven Valåsen.

In the beginning of the project, a specification of needs and inventory of what already existed was made. An initial inventory of communication and data storage was carried out by Moelven's own IT department together with Schneider Electric. Inventory of sensors to measure on the wood was carried out by Moelven and RemaSawco.

To connect different sensors, to filter and give the possibility to choose which values ​​to send and to a certain extent standardize the data formats all sensors and sensors are connected over an integration platform before data is sent to storage. In this way, with an integration platform, it is fairly easy to add and change sensors. Moelven's choice of integration platform fell on Apache NiFi.

Moelven Valåsen has several systems with local storage. With the help of integrations, the storage location is doubled against a cloud service, in our case Google Cloud. To reduce the storage requirement in Google's Cloud, data is filtered at integrations where only values ​​of benefit for analysis are transferred.

Even before this project started, a large number of sensors were installed. They worked locally and solved local measurements such as measuring diameter and quality of logs as well as dimensions, quality and moisture ratio on planks. In addition, new sensors and sensors have been installed to measure both the processes and the products.

To achieve the set goals, some thirty analyzes were defined, all of which support one or more of the formulated objectives and which illustrate potential improvement oppor­tu­nities. The analyzes are based on measurements of energy, power, measurements of logs, fingerprints on log compared to board, blocks and sawn / dried goods, as well as at times and time intervals in the process. Of the formulated analyzes, the project has developed several manual analyzes and results, i.e. analyzes that require a manual start to obtain a report. Continued work is required to implement automatic reports. This will be done in a follow-up project where several Notebooks with Pythons scripts are adapted for Google Dataflow for real-time analysis.

The project has reached a number of sub-goals. Some of them are confirmed in the project while others have been calculated. The reason why a number need to be calcu­lated is that, in order to be confirmed, they also require some rebuilding of mechanics, which was not possible during this limited project time. One such example is to be able to confirm an estimated 10% energy saving by optimizing the use of the kiln dryers.

Meters and sensors for measuring energy and power were installed too late in the project for an acceptable base level to be established.

Since circumstances beyond the control of the project have had a significant impact on production, it is difficult to demonstrate that the project has affected efficiency in particular. The project partners are fully assured that the process efficiency can be increased by at least 15% when the analysis tool is in place, so the causes of stops and downtime can be found and remedied before problems arise.

One of the ways the product value has increased is to increase the volume yield by reducing the green dimensions. This is done through the possibility of checking both the green dimensions and the dimensions of the finished products. A calculation shows a potential increase in value of approximately SEK 5 million per year.

Another way to increase the product value is by means of correlating board quality to log quality. A method for identifying corresponding logs and boards was further deve­lo­ped and a large number of correlated log and board grades were collected. This infor­ma­tion can contribute to a considerably improved timber grading and sorting, but within the time frame of the project there was no time to evaluate changed log sorting settings. The increase in product value based on this methodology can be estimated to at least 5%.

The project has clarified how digitization requires collaboration between different sensors, sometimes from different suppliers, in order to achieve the goals of the project. Such collaboration places demands on open system solutions and a well-considered overall system architecture.

Some important lessons learned from the project can be summarized in a number of points:

• Digitization is a complicated project that takes time and requires resources.
• It is essential to focus on the goals set.
• Careful planning is required of: plant inventory, installation in stages, demanding deployment with parallel systems for new automated connections.
• Digitization projects start with details, continue with details and even more detail, with clear goals of a result of shaping a unified unit.
• Massive skills challenge.
• Visualize more, with less monitoring screens.
• Take control of data flows and take ownership of your own data.
• Platforms that handle data need to be tested in a harsh environment before
• Different systems that measure time, energy or dimension need to be synchronized onsite, and with periodicity calibrated against "approved" similar.
• Traceability in saw lines can be achieved with redundant systems that measure length with the addition of timestamp.

Another project result is a new way of tracing products in a process line. The method is called Delta Time, and is patent pending. According to the method, products, in our case logs, blocks and planks, can be traced by following the time pattern for measure­ments on the product. This means that all types of measurement can be used to trace a product. For example, length in a process measurement can be traced to power in the next and thickness in the third measurement.

In the above-mentioned patent application there is also a new way of presenting measurement values ​​on the screen, called AugLog. In the presentation, you see values ​​from a large number of sensors placed on the product being displayed. The measured values ​​have been generated at different times and in different locations, but they are displayed together with the object to which they belong, which gives an overall picture of the measurements made on the product.

One very important project result is that we have formulated a method that describes how a digitization of an industry can go. Our experience from this project shows that it takes time to implement a digitization, and 2 years is a reasonable time frame to get a good bit on the way.

This pilot study was initiated by the sawmill industry and aims to investigate the

possibility of introducing autonomous vehicles in the form of forklift trucks for

handling of timber packages at sawmills.

The report presents the various levels of definition of autonomous vehicles, and in

which activities we now can find examples of vehicles with varying degrees of autonomy.

Various technical solutions to enable navigation and security for autonomous

vehicles are presented as well as the security requirements of autonomous vehicles in

different situations.

To exemplify today’s and tomorrow’s use of forklifts, a sawmill’s package management

is described, and a scenario for autonomous trucks is presented. Under that scenario,

today’s six trucks are replaced with three or four driverless trucks. A brief economic

calculation is made, describing the economic potential of driverless trucks. It shows

that autonomous forklifts may be permitted to cost significantly more than conventional

forklifts after the external security systems are installed, and still be profitable.

The reason is mainly the personnel costs associated with running conventional forklifts.

In conclusion, autonomous vehicles can be realized in the relatively near future in

many industries. The sawmill industry is also expected to take advantage of the ongoing

research and development. It is not least the economic parameters that weigh heavily

pro an introduction of autonomous forklift trucks, while safety precautions can be a

challenge.

An intermediate step towards fully driverless forklift trucks can be a semi-autonomous

solution, where the driver / operator manage a plurality of trucks by telemetry with

manual assistance only when

Many studies have shown that wooden buildings in general have a lower climate impact than buildings built of conventional materials such as concrete and steel. In Sweden, however, only about 10% of the multi-dwelling buildings are built with timber frames. The goal of this empirical study is to provide a broad picture of the views of Swedish actors regarding the use of wood products in multi-storey residential buildings and suggest measures for an increased use. A questionnaire concerning the use of wood products in construction was sent out to Swedish developers, main contractors, and architects and 100 answers were received. The study shows that the views of the groups of actors differ in some respects and factors that may either facilitate or be obstacles to an increased use of wood products were identified and discussed.

From a climate perspective, it could be advantageous to increase the use of wood products in buildings, but the use of sawn timber and engineered wood products (EWPs) in multi-storey buildings above two floors are a relatively new business (in Sweden since 1995) and there is a risk that wood as construction material is met with low awareness and high uncertainty by the construction sector. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to learn Swedish architects' views of using EWPs in buildings, and 2) to identify parameters that positively influence the likelihood that EWPs will be selected to a greater extent and the relative importance of those parameters. A survey was sent out to Swedish architects and 67 answers were received. The result indicates that architects in Sweden have a positive attitude towards EWPs in general and that the majority think that they will probably increase their use of these materials. Low impact on the environment, aesthetic appeal, and fast construction were the most common reasons stated for selecting EWPs. The Swedish architects have in general a moderate impact on the selection of materials, and the most common reason for not selecting EWPs was that other decision makers involved in the building projects prefer other materials. A lack of knowledge and information as well as uncertainties regarding the quality over time were other common reasons for not selecting EWPs. It was found that architects who had participated in building projects where EWPs had been chosen due to their low environmental impact and/or aesthetic appearance were more likely to state that they will increase their use of EWPs. The results also show that influence on material selection, knowledge of EWPs, experience of the use of EWPs, and the architect's own attitude to the use of EWPs affect the likelihood of an increased use.

Comprehensive approaches to predict performance of wood products are requested by international standards, and the first attempts have been made in the frame of European research projects. However, there is still an imminent need for a methodology to implement the durability and moisture performance of wood in an engineering design method and performance classification system. The aim of this study was therefore to establish an approach to predict service life of wood above ground taking into account the combined effect of wetting ability and durability data. A comprehensive data set was obtained from laboratory durability tests and still ongoing field trials in Norway, Germany and Sweden. In addition, four different wetting ability tests were performed with the same material. Based on a dose–response concept, decay rates for specimens exposed above ground were predicted implementing various indicating factors. A model was developed and optimised taking into account the resistance of wood against soft, white and brown rot as well as relevant types of water uptake and release. Decay rates from above-ground field tests at different test sites in Norway were predicted with the model. In a second step, the model was validated using data from laboratory and field tests performed in Germany and Sweden. The model was found to be fairly reliable, and it has the advantage to get implemented into existing engineering design guidelines. The approach at hand might furthermore be used for implementing wetting ability data into performance classification as requested by European standardisation bodies.

Research Highlights: In this study, the Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) compounds were applied in order to study mould-fungi growth on dried Scots pine sapwood. Background and Objectives: The transition to the use of more sustainable wood-material may be possible by applying GRAS compounds that can control and prevent contamination by primary colonising mould fungi. Materials and Methods: Kiln-dried sawn timber was treated with three different GRAS compounds, and different fungal inoculation methods applied in order to investigate differences in the development of fungal communities. Results: Substances based on potassium silicate significantly reduced fungal growth and mould contamination on the studied wood surfaces. By combining wood-surface treatments with GRAS compounds, fungal-area size as predictors and mould grade as response, a partial least squares (PLS) model that makes it possible to predict mould grade on wood surfaces was developed. The PLS model is a key component in the development of a smart grading-systems equipped by e.g. high-speed digital cameras for the early detection of fungal attack on wood surfaces in different applications. However, the measurements based on chemical characterisation should be the next step to take in order significantly to enhance the model and increase the range of robust applications. In the current study, a multivariate model describing the influence of each fungal-covering area on mould grade was presented for the first time

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is an important industrial nanocellulose product and material component. New MFC grades can widen the materials property range and improve product tailoring. Microfibrillated lignocellulose (MFLC) is investigated, with the hypothesis that there is an optimum in lignin content of unbleached wood pulp fibre with respect to nanofibril yield. A series of kraft fibres with falling Kappa numbers (lower lignin content) was prepared. Fibres were beaten and fibrillated into MFLC by high-pressure microfluidization. Nano-sized fractions of fibrils were separated using centrifugation. Lignin content and carbohydrate analysis, total charge, FE-SEM, TEM microscopy and suspension rheology characterization were carried out. Fibres with Kappa number 65 (11% lignin) combined high lignin content with ease of fibrillation. This confirms an optimum in nanofibril yield as a function of lignin content, and mechanisms are discussed. MFLC from these fibres contained a 40-60 wt% fraction of nano-sized fibrils with widths in the range of 2.5-70 nm. Despite the large size distribution, data for modulus and tensile strength of MFLC films with 11% lignin were as high as 14 GPa and 240 MPa. MFLC films showed improved water contact angle of 84-88 degrees, compared to neat MFC films (< 50 degrees). All MFLC films showed substantial optical transmittance, and the fraction of haze scattering strongly correlated with defect content in the form of coarse fibrils. [GRAPHICS]

Rule-based automatic grading (RBAG) of sawn timber is a common type of sorting system used in sawmills, which is intricate to customise for specific customers. This study further develops an automatic grading method to grade sawn timber according to a customer’s resulting product quality. A sawmill’s automatic sorting system used cameras to scan the 308 planks included in the study. Each plank was split at a planing mill into three boards, each planed, milled, and manually graded as desirable or not. The plank grade was correlated by multivariate partial least squares regression to aggregated variables, created from the sorting system’s measurements at the sawmill. Grading models were trained and tested independently using 5-fold cross-validation to evaluate the grading accuracy of the holistic-subjective automatic grading (HSAG), and compared with a re-substitution test. Results showed that using the HSAG method at the sawmill graded on average 74% of planks correctly, while 83% of desirable planks were correctly identified. Results implied that a sawmill sorting station could grade planks according to a customer’s product quality grade with similar accuracy to HSAG conforming with manual grading of standardised sorting classes, even when the customer is processing the planks further.

Holistic-subjective automatic grading (HSAG) of sawn timber by an industrial customer’s product outcome is possible through the use of multivariate partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), shown by part one of this two-part study. This second part of the study aimed at testing the robustness to disturbances of such an HSAG system when grading Scots Pine sawn timber partially covered in dust. The set of 308 clean planks from part one of this study, and a set of 310 dusty planks, that by being stored inside a sawmill accumulated a layer of dust, were used. Cameras scanned each plank in a sawmill’s automatic sorting system that detected selected feature variables. The planks were then split and processed at a planing mill, and the product grade was correlated to the measured feature variables by partial least squares regression. Prediction models were tested using 5-fold cross-validation in four tests and compared to the reference result of part one of this study. The tests showed that the product adapted HSAG could grade dusty planks with similar or lower grading accuracy compared to grading clean planks. In tests grading dusty planks, the disturbing effect of the dust was difficult to capture through training.

This study investigates the secondary failure of Malaysian Dark Red Meranti (Shorea spp.) and Spruce (Picea abies) finger joints in a glulam beam in a fire test using a bench-scale test set-up. Secondary failure is the occurrence of failure of the bond lines due to fire and the falling off of the outermost tension layers, exposing the uncharred inner layers to a sudden increase of fire intensity. The lack of published work and the difficulties in describing the behaviour of the finger joints after the secondary failure in a full-scale fire test has identified the need for a simple bench-scale method, incorporating the conditions of the standard fire test. This paper focusses on the performance of the finger joints which together with other defects such as knots and splits are generally the weakest component in the glulam beam. The finger joints were bonded with structural adhesives, specifically phenol resorcinol formaldehyde (PRF) and polyurethane (PUR). They were tested in tension to imitate the failure of finger joints on the tension side of a standard fire test of a glulam beam. Constant heat flux was introduced to the finger-jointed specimens to replicate the secondary failure of a glulam beam in the standard fire test. The results of this study indicate a relationship between the charring rate and density of the specimens, with higher density Dark Red Meranti showing lower charring rate compared to the lower density Spruce specimens. Factors such as constant heat flux as opposed to the time-increasing heat flux exposure and specimen size influenced the charring rate of the specimens. The char rate was measured at the early stages of the fire test, which is known to have higher values since the build-up of the charred layers was not sufficiently substantial to protect the inner unburnt wood. Overall, the bench-scale fire test set-up was able to differentiate the fire performance of the adhesives, with PRF showing better fire performance compared to the specimens finger-jointed with PUR adhesive. In addition, tensile tests at ambient temperature showed no significant difference in tensile strength between finger joints bonded with different adhesives for the same wood species. The tensile strengths of the finger joints bonded with different adhesives were influenced by the temperature profile through the joint. The proposed bench-scale fire test was used to compare the quality of the adhesives in a fire situation, specifically with respect to secondary failure. The PRF was selected as the reference adhesive.

The swelling and dissolution of cellulose are key parameters in the production of regenerated cellulose fibers. Since cotton is almost pure cellulose, it has been proposed that the recycling of cotton textiles may be accomplished through incorporating the cotton textiles into the production of regenerated cellulosic fibers. In this study, the supramolecular structure before and after pretreatment was characterized using solid-state carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR), and the findings related to the swelling of dissolving pulp and cotton were quantified with a fiber analyzer. The cotton and dissolving pulp samples were subjected to three different pretreatments: mild acid hydrolysis, acid hydrolysis in ethanol, and a hydrothermal treatment. The results showed that cotton was harder to swell than the dissolving pulp. This indicated that either waste cotton requires another type of activating pretreatment than those included in this study or very good solvents if it is to be included in the production of regenerated fibers. 

Fibreboards are made of lignocellulosic fibres and synthetic adhesive which connect them. These synthetic adhesives, while relatively low-cost, are usually non-biodegradable and may cause health and environmental issues. Therefore, in recent years, there has been an increased demand for replacing these adhesives with bio-derived adhesives. The present study aims to develop fibreboards from chemo-thermomechanical pulp and a furanic resin based on prepolymers of furfuryl alcohol via wet-processing. To improve the bonding properties, maleic acid, aluminium sulphate, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were added. The resulting fibreboards were evaluated for their structural features and mechanical properties. The bending strength was improved when CNCs were added into the fibre's suspension, and the morphology indicated a more compact structure. The combination of the CTMP with CNC and Biorez resulted in the same mechanical behaviours as those noted for CTMP alone, the best performance being observed for the boards in which Al2(SO4)3 was added. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction also proved the presence of cellulose nanocrystals and resin in the boards by increased specific bands intensity and crystallinity index, respectively.

Composites formed from wood fibers and man-made cellulosic fibers in PLA (polylactic acid) matrix, manufactured using sheet forming technique and hot pressing, are studied. The composites have very low density (due to high porosity) and rather good elastic modulus and tensile strength. As expected, these properties for the four types of wood fiber composites studied here improve with increasing weight fraction of fibers, even if porosity is also increasing. On the contrary, for man-made cellulosic fiber composites with circular fiber cross-section, the increasing fiber weight fraction (accompanied by increasing void content) has detrimental effect on stiffness and strength. The differences in behavior are discussed attributing them to fiber/ fiber interaction in wood fiber composites which does not happen in man-made fiber composites, and by rather weak fiber/matrix interface for man-made fibers leading to macro-crack formation in large porosity regions.

Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) of lignin poses many challenges. In numerous studies chromatograms of lignin show a bimodal molar mass distribution. Is this a true characteristic of lignin, is it caused by molecular associations or aggregations, or could it could be an artefact from using column combinations with porosities that do not match properly? To improve resolution and enable separation over a larger molar mass range, multiple columns with different porosities are often connected in series. If the porosities do not match properly, the result appears as a shoulder or bimodality in the chromatogram. To understand whether the bimodal distribution is a sample characteristic or an analyze artefact, we have used different columns, column combination and samples to see when the results is a bimodal distribution and when only one peak is formed. Results show that the bimodality of lignin can be an artifact originating from column mismatch. Using single porosity columns with a low molar mass cut-off should be avoided since it can cause false bimodality.

The effect of wood modification on wood-water interactions in modified wood is poorly understood, even though water is a critical factor in fungal wood degradation. A previous review suggested that decay resistance in modified wood is caused by a reduced wood moisture content (MC) that inhibits the diffusion of oxidative fungal metabolites. It has been reported that a MC below 23%-25% will protect wood from decay, which correlates with the weight percent gain (WPG) level seen to inhibit decay in modified wood for several different kinds of wood modifications. In this review, the focus is on the role of water in brown rot decay of chemically and thermally modified wood. The study synthesizes recent advances in the inhibition of decay and the effects of wood modification on the MC and moisture relationships in modified wood. We discuss three potential mechanisms for diffusion inhibition in modified wood: (i) nanopore blocking; (ii) capillary condensation in nanopores; and (iii) plasticization of hemicelluloses. The nanopore blocking theory works well with cell wall bulking and crosslinking modifications, but it seems less applicable to thermal modification, which may increase nanoporosity. Preventing the formation of capillary water in nanopores also explains cell wall bulking modification well. However, the possibility of increased nanoporosity in thermally modified wood and increased wood-water surface tension for 1.3-dimethylol-4.5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) modification complicate the interpretation of this theory for these modifications. Inhibition of hemicellulose plasticization fits well with diffusion prevention in acetylated, DMDHEU and thermally modified wood, but plasticity in furfurylated wood may be increased. We also point out that the different mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, and it may be the case that they all play some role to varying degrees for each modification. Furthermore, we highlight recent work which shows that brown rot fungi will eventually degrade modified wood materials, even at high treatment levels. The herein reviewed literature suggests that the modification itself may initially be degraded, followed by an increase in wood cell wall MC to a level where chemical transport is possible.

Benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an emerging field with an appealing profile for industrial applications. The instrumentation offers the possibility to measure NMR spectra in situations where high-field NMR spectroscopy is considered too expensive or complicated. In this study, we investigated the scope and limitations of 1H NMR measurements on kraft lignins and black liquors at low magnetic field strengths (1.0 and 1.5 T). The ability to quantify different classes of compounds was investigated and found to be promising. NMR-based diffusion measurements were performed, with the aim of gaining insight into the molar mass of the lignins at hand. These measurements were fast, repeatable and in good agreement with established methods.

This paper describes improvements in the methodology for NMR spectroscopic analysis of dissolved kraft lignins and black liquors, for structural analysis as well as for reaction monitoring. The described methodologies are variations and applications of non-uniform sampling (NUS) in 2D spectra and diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), with reduced experiment time and/or increased resolution and novel ways to track reactions through monitoring of diffusion of a reactant mixture.

In sawmilling, a lot of timber properties are measured online in the sorting and grading of dried timber. This may include moisture content, shape, and a host of other parameters. An important wood property that cannot be measured online is drying stresses, although it is an important parameter for many customers. Since the destructive test methods for stress determination are time consuming, no high frequency routine measurement of the internal stresses is done.

In literature, there are a few examples of near infrareds (NIR) capability to detect surface stresses along the fiber direction. There is also an example of stress measurements across the grain on a Japanese wood specie during drying, however, these measurements were always done on a tangential surface. It is unknown whether NIR prediction models can predict surface tension and stress measurements across the grain of dried Norway spruce with varying characteristics, i.e. material from different logs, heart- or sapwood, different year ring orientations, etc. If the technique cannot handle the variation in material properties, such as occurs in a sawmill environment, this means that a simple NIR measurement would not be sufficient to predict the surface tension in industry.

This study investigated whether surface stresses in mechanically loaded as well as dried spruce samples with varying material properties can be predicted by NIR models. The measurement data from some mechanically loaded samples showed a correlation between the predicted and actual stress values, but many other samples showed no correlation. Moreover, the data for a single sample could show a good correlation, but the prediction could be at an incorrect stress level.

As for the dried samples, NIR models were good at separating the conditioned and non-conditioned samples, but had no predictive power concerning the stress level. The models used to predict the stress level in mechanically loaded samples, were also used to predict the stress in the dried samples, but there was no correlation between the measured strain and the predicted stress level. Therefore, it is concluded that there are no clear indication that NIR measurements can be used in an industrial application for predicting the surface stress level of dried Norway spruce boards.

SP, Innventia och Luleås Tekniska Universitet har genomfört en förstudie där man undersökte om nära-infrarött (NIR) data kan bidra till säkrare hållfasthetsbestämning av virke. För att göra det behövdes förutom NIR-data, dels data som konventionellt används i sågverk för att göra hållfasthets-uppskattningar, dels referensdata från mekanisk provning.

Följande data samlades in från 100 granplankor med dimensionen 3600*150*45 mm3:

1. mått, vikt, och därmed densitet,

2. egenfrekvenser via dynamisk excitering,

3. högupplösta NIR-bilder på 2 flatsidor av varje planka,

4. RGB och fibervinkeldata från flat- och kantsidorna,

5. röntgentomografibilder,

6. förstörande böjtestdata, med bestämning av lokal och global E-modul, och

7. kvalitativ inventering av brottyp och kvistposition.

Databasen är i sig en värdefull resurs och en god grund för fortsatt forskning och utveckling mot kun-skap och tillämpningar baserat på information som hittills inte utvärderats och nyttjats.

Virkesegenskaper som påverkar hållfasthet, såsom tjurved, kunde identifieras och visualiseras. Andra egenskaper som är viktiga hållfasthetsindikatorer, såsom egenfrekvens och densitet, kunde predikteras med multivariata modeller baserade på NIR-spektraldata. Inledande modellförsök visar att det går att prediktera global E-modul med multivariata modeller baserade på NIR-spektraldata med ungefärlig samma precision som industriell hållfasthetsbedömning med dynamisk excitering. De NIR-data som användes i modelleringen var dock bara medelvärden över hela plankan. Därför finns det god potential för bättre prediktion med mer riktade variabler, som speglar de spatiala variationerna i varje planka, t.ex. runt kvistar, vilket blir ämnet för ett eventuellt fortsättningsprojekt.

Projektet finansierades av Norrskogs Forskningsstiftelse, Stiftelsen Åforsk, Träcentrum Norr, och Södra Skogsägarnas Stiftelse för Forskning, Utveckling och Utbildning. Individer som medverkade i projektet inkluderar Gerhard Scheepers, Jörgen Olsson, Anders Lycken, Sven-Olof Lundqvist och Thomas Grahn (RISE Bioekonomi); och Olle Hagman (LTU). RemaSawco och JGA i Linneryd hjälpte också med insamlingen av fibervinkeldata.

Fuktförändringar i virke under pågående konditionering har aldrig tidigare studerats i tomograf.

Resultat av denna labbstudie av diffusionsbaserad, icke-kondenserande jämviktskonditionering vid olika fuktkvotsnivåer sammanfattas enligt följande: (Notera att torkningsspänningar inte utvärde­rats i denna studie utan enbart fuktförändringar.)

• Studien styrker industriella erfarenheter att konditionering ”tar bättre” på virke nedtorkat till lägre fuktkvot jämfört än om fuktkvoterna är högre.
• Försöken ger en god fingervisning om hur länge konditionering bör pågå för en viss önskad medel­fuktkvotshöjning i ett industriellt vanligt förekommande klimat 70 °C och psykrometer­skillnad 2° vilket motsvarar en jämviktsfuktkvot på 16,8%. Vill man ex höja medelfuktkvoten från 10 – 12% visar resultaten att 4 timmars konditionering är tillräckligt för furuvirket. Att i samma klimat höja medel­fuktkvoten 2% vid högre startfuktkvoter (mellan 14–23%) har inte i något fall varit möjligt för vare sig gran eller furu under de 8 timmar som konditionering pågick. Det är också viktigt att påpeka att konditioneringsklimatet i dessa labbförsök har uppnått börvärden mycket snabbt (figur 3) vilket inte är fallet vid stora virkeslaster i industriskala där basningskapacitet och blåsdjup påverkar tid till uppnådda börvärden.
• Vad gäller fuktkvotsskillnad nära ytorna ses generellt en utplaning av fuktförändringar i samtliga försök efter 3–4 timmar.
• Fuktkvotsnivån spelar roll för den inledande fuktkvotsförändringen inom tvärsnittet: ju torrare virke desto snabbare förändring.
• När konditioneringen startar är fuktvandringen i splintved effektivare än i kärnved vilket sannolikt förklaras av splintvedens högre diffusivitet.
• Vad gäller eventuella skillnad mellan träslag är det inte möjligt att dra några slutsatser.
• Metodstudien visar att upplösningen i tomografen är tillräcklig för att kunna utvärdera fuktkvotsförändringar nära virkesytorna i ca 3 mm tjocka skal.

Projektet har behandlat ett antal delstudier kopplat till virkestorkning inom följande områden : ADAPTIVITET, FUKT­DYNAMIK och TORKNINGSKVALITET. Projektet har bidragit till att steg har tagits mot målet att uppnå en mer självstyrande och automatiserad torkningsprocess, en mer optimerad och energieffektiv torkningsprocess samt bättre och jämnare torkningskvalitet som samman­taget minskar torkkostnader genom att:

ADAPTIVITET identifiera olika mättekniska- och återkopplade signaler som kan användas i simulatorer och styrsystem: ”ΔT” principens möjlighet att adaptivt förlänga dragtider i en FB-kanal, termograferingens diagnostiska möjlighet att få en momentan överblick över rumslig fukt­kvots­spridning i en torkande virkeslast samt difftrycksmätningens potential att signalera rengöringsbehov för att undvika försämrad lufthastighet och värmeöverföring i en kanal.

FUKTDYNAMIK öka förståelsen för virkets fuktdynamik genom att i tomografstudier visa på möjligheten att optimera diffusionsdriven jämviktskonditionering vid olika fuktkvotsnivåer och på så sätt effektivisera tid och energianvändning i torkar. Fuktförändringar under pågående kondi­tio­nering har aldrig tidigare studerats i tomograf.

i tomografstudier visa hur övergången mellan kapillär och diffusionsfas genom  ΔT tydligt kan identifieras

genom CT-studier ge ökad förståelse och förbättrat underlag för fuktdynamisk modellering i kapillär och diffusionsfas.

TORKNINGSKVALITET förbättra torkningskvalitet genom bättre målfuktkvotsträff och mindre fuktkvotsspridning genom de ovan nämnda adaptiva metodernas potential.

visa att en kombination av torkning med efterföljande hyvling och behandling med mögel­hämmare kan åstadkomma en produktgrupp av splintvedsbrädor av furu, contorta och gran med god och likvärdig mögelbeständighet.

Studierna som avrapporteras övergripande i denna rapport har utförts inom delprojekt 3 inom ramen för projektet ”TiiN, TräInnovation i Norr”.

Samtliga delstudier avrapporteras separat i följande TCN- rapporter.

TCN-rapport: Temperaturdifferens ”ΔT” mellan virkesyta och luft under pågående torkning som möjlig styrparameter i virkestorkning. Mätningar i labb och industriskala. Margot Sehlstedt-Persson, LTU, Tommy Vikberg, RISE, Gerhard Scheepers, RISE.

TCN-rapport: Värmekameramätningar i virkestorkar. Gerhard Scheepers, RISE.

TCN-rapport: Mögeltest av torkade furu, gran och contorta bräder: Sammanfattning av “Mould susceptibility of dried boards of Contorta pine, Scots pine and Norway spruce A comparative study” Faksawat Poohphajai, februari 2018. Margot Sehlstedt-Persson, LTU.

TCN-rapport: Konditionering av virke vid olika fuktkvoter – studier i tomograf. Margot Sehlstedt-Persson, Lars Hansson, José Couceiro samtliga LTU, Tommy Vikberg RISE.

TCN-rapport: Tryckfall över värmebatteri i virkestork - resultat av tre års mätningar. Tommy Vikberg, RISE och Margot Sehlstedt-Persson, LTU. 

Målsättningen med denna studie har varit att utvärdera frågeställningen om tempe­ratur­differensen mellan lufttemperatur och virkesyta (ΔT), kan användas adaptivt i en FB kanal för att detektera övergång från torkning i kapillär till diffusionsfas. Man eftersträvar att så mycket kapillärt vatten som möjligt ska avgå i zon 1 innan virket går in i zon 2 för att inte fuktkvoten ska bli för hög i uttagsänden.

Inledningsvis utfördes ett antal grundläggande försök i labbmiljö följt av en mer omfattande mätning i industriskala vid J-G Anderssons i Linneryd. Vid Linneryds­försöket gjorde även termografimätningar. Slutligen gjordes ett långtidsförsök vid Norra Timbers anläggning i Kåge med beröringsfri IR-sensor för mätning av yttemperatur på långsidorna av passerande virkestaplar.

Slutsatser av grundläggande försök i CT-lab

Utvärderingen av försök på enbitsnivå pekar mot att ΔT signalen har god potential att kunna användas för att detektera när fibermättnad nås i virket. I kanaler med stora virkeslaster med varierande fuktinnehåll måste dock yttemperaturmätningar göras på medelvärden av större ytor. Nästa steg var industriella mätningar i kanal där dock ingen kontinuerlig fukt­kvots­bestäm­ning var möjlig att göra.

Slutsatser av industrimätningar i Linneryd

Mätningar av virkets yttemperatur, lokalt torkklimat, lufthastighet, fuktkvot och ΔT i prover placerade i olika positioner i en virkesstapel med 22x100 mm granbräder under torkning i en 2 zons FB kanal, visar överensstämmande resultat.  Nivåerna på ΔT i nedblåsningsschaktet visar tydligt om proven var kvar i kapillärfas eller inte. Höga nivåer på ΔT som i centrala de­lar­na av paketen i höjdled  innebär att proverna fortfa­rande var i kapillärfas. Låga nivåer på  ΔT, som på kanterna av mittpaketet, innebär att kapillär­fasen har passerats. I positioner där slutfuktkvot blev  betydligt högre än målfuktkvot (centrum i toppaket) var ΔT nivån hög i ned­blås­ningsschaktet. Detta virke skulle med fördel ha haft längre tid i zon 1. Virket på kan­terna var redo för övergång till zon 2. I praktiken görs dock naturligtvis drag­ningar för en hel stapel i taget.

Termografibilderna ger en ögonblicksbild av torkningsläget i en virkelast och har potential att vara ett komplement till befintliga mätmetoder. Industrimätningarna visar att det är möjligt att ta bra värmebilder i nedblåsningsschaktet i en FB kanal. Att ha en permanent värmekamera i nedblåsningsschaktet ställer dock krav på kylning av kameran som inte klarar höga tempe­raturer.

Slutsatser från långtidsförsök vid Norra Timbers anläggning i Kåge

Två pyrometrar riktade att mäta yttemperatur på de två översta paketen på passerande vagnar installerades i en gångdörr vid nedblåsningsschaktet i en FB kanal. Beräknat ΔT tycks kunna utgöra värdefull processdata för att styra torkens dragningstid.

Yttemperaturmätningar med pyrometer är en relativt robust metod som fungerar bra i en virkestork. Ingen rengöring behövdes under de fyra månaderna som mätningen pågick.

There is an increasing use of cross laminated timber (CLT) in the building sector. CLT is a wood panel product made from layers of solid lumber boards. Each layer of boards is oriented perpendicular to adjacent layers and glued on the wide faces of each board. It has been recognised that different adhesive systems have different behaviour in fire; especially that delamination behaviour of CLT can be avoided by choosing a suitable adhesive system. The best method for evaluation of the delamination is a full‐scale fire test, but considering the high costs of such tests, it is of the utmost importance to develop small‐scale methods for evaluating the adhesive bond properties in fire. The intention is that such small‐scale methods should provide the same results as full‐scale tests. A new, smaller scale method for classifying adhesives with respect to  fire properties would also simplify  the planning of  full scale  tests. Previous  tested small‐scale method for evaluation of finger joints is presented in (1).  In this study, a small‐scale fire test methodology for evaluation of CLT adhesive bond performance in  fire  is  introduced  (2).  The  aim  was  to  demonstrate  an  easy  tool  to  distinguish  between  fire resistant adhesive bonds and non‐fire‐resistant bonds, especially with respect to delamination. The cone heater of a cone calorimeter was used to carry out the tests. Cone calorimeter in accordance with ISO 5660 is one of the most widely used bench‐scale instrument in fire research. This small‐scale  device  has  several  advantages  over  larger‐scale  tests  thanks  to  its  fast,  simple  and  cost‐efficient manner to investigate basic material properties.  

Timber structures in marine applications are often exposed to severe degradation conditions caused by mechanical loads and wood-degrading organisms. This paper presents the use of timber in marine environments in Europe from a wood protection perspective. It discusses the use of wood in coastline protection and archeological marine wood, reviews the marine borer taxa in European waters, and gives an overview of potential solutions for protection of timber in marine environments. Information was compiled from the most relevant literature sources with an emphasis on new wood protection methods; the need for research and potential solutions are discussed. Traditionally, timber has been extensively utilized in a variety of marine applications. Although there is a strong need for developing new protection systems for timber in marine applications, the research in this field has been scarce for many years. New attempts to protect timber used in marine environments in Europe have mainly focused on wood modification and the use of mechanical barriers to prevent colonization of marine wood borers. The importance of understanding the mechanisms of settlement, migration, boring, and digestion of the degrading organisms is key for developing effective systems for protecting timber in marine environments

Möjligheterna att utföra behovsstyrt underhåll på virkestorkar istället för enligt ett underhållschema vore önskvärt. En av underhållsåtgärderna som är svåra att schemalägga i tiden är rengöring av värmebatterierna eftersom graden av nedsmutsning i stor del beror på råvaran, utomhusklimatet och sågutrustningen. I detta projekt mättes det statiska tryckfallet över värmebatteriet i 1:a-zon i en två zons kanaltork. Mätningen pågick under tre års tid och målet var att få till stånd en mätning som indikerar när det är dags att rengöra värmebatteriet. Projektets slutsatser är:

• Det är möjligt att mäta graden av spånpålimning på värmebatterierna genom att mäta tryckfallet över värmebatteriet.
• Tryckfallsmätning kan tjäna som indikator för när det är lämpligt att rengöra värmebatteriet.

Ecofriendly materials based on well-preserved and nanostructured wood cellulose fibers are investigated for the purpose of load-bearing applications, where optical transmittance may be advantageous. Wood fibers are subjected to mild delignification, flow orientation, and hot-pressing to form an oriented material of low porosity. The biopolymer composition of the fibers is determined. Their morphology is studied by scanning electron microscopy, cellulose orientation is quantified by X-ray diffraction, and the effect of beating is investigated. Hot-pressed networks are impregnated by a methyl methacrylate monomer and polymerized to form thermoplastic wood fiber/poly(methyl methacrylate) biocomposites. Tensile tests are performed, as well as optical transmittance measurements. Structure-property relationships are discussed. High-density molded fibers from holocellulose have mechanical properties comparable with nanocellulose materials and are recyclable. The thermoplastic matrix biocomposites showed superior mechanical properties (Young's modulus of 20 GPa and ultimate strength of 310 MPa) at a fiber volume fraction of 52%, with high optical transmittance of 90%. The study presents a scalable approach for strong, stiff, and transparent molded fibers/biocomposites.

To expand the use of renewable materials, paper products with superior mechanical and optical properties are needed. Although beating, bleaching, and additives are known to improve industrially produced Kraft pulp papers, properties are limited by the quality of the fibers. While the use of nanocellulose has been shown to significantly increase paper properties, the current cost associated with their production has limited their industrial relevance. Here, using a simple mild peracetic acid (PAA) delignification process on spruce, we produce hemicellulose-rich holocellulose fibers (28.8 wt %) with high intrinsic strength (1200 MPa for fibers with microfibrillar angle smaller than 10°). We show that PAA treatment causes less cellulose/hemicellulose degradation and better preserves cellulose nanostructure in comparison to conventional Kraft pulping. High-density holocellulose papers with superior mechanical properties (Young's modulus of 18 GPa and ultimate strength of 195 MPa) are manufactured using a water-based hot-pressing process, without the use of beating or additives. We propose that the preserved hemicelluloses act as "glue" in the interfiber region, improving both mechanical and optical properties of papers. Holocellulose fibers may be affordable and applicable candidates for making special paper/composites where high mechanical performance and/or optical transmittance are of interest.