The amounts of lignophenol and polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG4000) adsorbed by waterlogged wood in various degradation degrees were compared, and surface hardness of the samples treated with the lignophenol and PEG4000 were evaluated by a compression test. Average of maximum moisture content (MMC) was defined as degradation degree.
Samples were pieces of waterlogged wood of Tochinoki (Aesculus turbinata Blume) with an MMC of 284%, and Doronoki (Populus maximowiczii A.Henry) with MMCs of 902% and 1178%.
The saturated adsorption amounts of the lignophenol per unit weight in MMC 284% samples were not so different from those of PEG4000, and in MMC 902% and 1178% samples, the amounts were larger than those of PEG4000. In each MMC, wood hardness was consequently greater in the samples treated with lignophenol than that treated with PEG4000. Because of decrease in wood substance, however, the saturated adsorption amounts of lignophenol and PEG4000 per unit volume and hardness decreased in the samples with higher degradation degree. In each MMC, weight changes of the samples treated with lignophenol were small when the samples were exposed between 20%RH and 90%RH repeatedly. Therefore, the dimensional stability was improved by the increased hydrophobicity of cell walls. These results showed conservation using lignophenol was effective to waterlogged wood in the various degradation degrees.
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