Chemical and morphological modification of softwood and hardwood surfaces by an oxygen glow discharge plasma. (5th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jamali, Arash; Evans, Philip D
• Is Part Of: Journal of wood chemistry and technology. Volume 42:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 381
• Page End: 394
• Publication Date: 2022-09-05
• Subjects: Plasma etching -- softwood -- hardwood -- holocellulose -- lignin; Wood -- Chemistry -- Periodicals; Wood; Wood -- Chemistry; Periodicals; 674.13
• DOI: 10.1080/02773813.2022.2113539
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-3813

Abstract

Abstract: High-energy radiation preferentially degrades cellulose and enriches lignin content at wood surfaces particularly in hardwoods. Accordingly, we hypothesize that a similar effect will occur at surfaces exposed to plasma. We test this hypothesis by plasma-treating pine and poplar veneers and assessing changes in the lignin and holocellulose-derived sugar-content of veneers; quantifying etching of pellets containing lignin and cellulose, and observing etching of different cell wall layers in pine and Homalium . The majority but not all of our results support our hypothesis. Lignin-rich regions of wood cell walls were easier to see after plasma treatment. We discuss the potential uses of plasma-etching for the study of wood ultrastructure and the creation of wood surfaces with self-bonding properties, and conclude that plasma-etching can be used as an alternative to chemical pretreatments for ultrastructural studies of the distribution of lignin in wood cell walls.