Influence of chemical treatments on moisture-induced dimensional change and elastic modulus of earlywood and latewood

To better understand the performance of bonded, coated, and modified wood, knowledge of how these processes alter the dimensional change and mechanical properties of wood at a given moisture content (MC) are important. These localized influences on earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) properties are not well understood. In the present study, the influence of chemical treatments by hydroxymethylated resorcinol (HMR) and acetylation on moisture-induced dimensional change and longitudinal modulus of elasticity (MOE) of isolated EW and LW specimens of Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) was evaluated. The dimensional change was not altered by the HMR treatment, whereas acetylation lowered it by; 50% in EW and LW in both radial and tangential directions. The MOE was not influenced by the two chemical treatments tested. Based on results of swelling, shrinkage, and MOE it can be concluded that chemical treatment does not modify EW selectively compared with LW neither in radial nor in tangential orientation.