Flexural Strength of Incised Rubber-Wood (Hevea Brasiliensis Muel. Arg.) Treated with Creosote Oil and Liquefied Biomass

• O.S. Olaniran

  Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure

  Author

The influence of incision and chemical treatments on the flexural strength of Hevea brasiliensis (Rubber-wood) was examined. Clear samples of dimension 20mm × 20mm × 300mm were prepared and selected as specified in American Standards for Testing Materials (ASTM) standards. Incision was done with a mechanical incisor at a length and depth 7mm and 3mm respectively. Three levels of incision densities (666.6, 1000 and 1333 incisions/m2) were used. Test samples were oven-dried at 103±20 C for 24 hr. untreated samples, serving as the control, were maintained at 12 % moisture content. Creosote oil and liquefied biomass were used as preservatives to treat the wood samples using the cold-soaking method. Parameters such as absorption and retention were measured. Flexural strength; modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the wood samples were tested on Housefield Tensiometer. Results showed that rubber-wood treated with creosote oil had a mean absorption and retention of 29.94 %, and 1.22 Kg/m3 respectively while the liquefied biomass treated samples had 58.61 % and 2.38 Kg/m3 for absorption and retention respectively. Incision had a significant effect (p0.05) on absorption and retention of rubber-wood. However, greater losses in strength resulted from combining incision with the preservative chemicals. Higher strength loss in MOE (6847.12 N/mm2) and MOR (57.76 N/mm2) ensued with the use of liquefied biomass compared with creosote oil with 8703.46 N/mm2 and 83.25 N/mm2 for MOE and MOR respectively. This is an indication that rubber-wood has a higher absorption and retention of waterborne preservatives (liquefied biomass) but lower values for creosote oil. However, its strength properties were highly affected with the use of liquefied biomass preservative.

1. O.S. Olaniran, Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure

   Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure

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