Articles tagged with Wood
Researchers have created wood sponges that selectively absorb oil from water, then can be squeezed out and used again. The sponges absorbed 16-41 times their own weight in oil, comparable to or better than other reported absorbents.
Researchers at CIRAD found an incoherence in a conversion factor for calculating basic wood density, leading to potential errors in estimating forest carbon stocks. The corrected formula will improve the accuracy of forest carbon assessments and understanding of forests' role in climate regulation.
A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that using solid fuels for cooking is linked to a higher risk of hospitalization or death from respiratory diseases. The research, conducted in China, suggests that switching to clean-burning fuels can significantly lower this risk.
The European Renewable Energy Directive may lead to vast new cutting of the world's forests as a result of additional wood needed just to supply 5 percent of Europe's energy. This is expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 10 to 15 percent in Europe's energy use by 2050.
Researchers have developed a new method to conserve salvaged wooden ships and artifacts using 'smart' nanocomposites, eliminating harmful acids without damaging the structures. This technology could help preserve other shipwrecks like the 16th-century British warship Mary Rose and its artifacts.
A study by the Technical University of Munich found that European trees' wood density has decreased continuously since 1870, despite increased growth. The decrease in wood density is attributed to factors such as rising temperatures and nitrogen input from agriculture and industry, affecting forest ecosystems.
Researchers at USTC fabricate a family of polymeric woods with similar cellular structures to natural wood, exhibiting lightweight and high-strength properties. The novel strategy involves self-assembly and thermocuring processes using traditional resins, offering a green approach to prepare multifunctional artificial woods.
Researchers at MIT have designed a highly energy-efficient community building using mass timber, demonstrating its potential for large-scale applications. The structure's laminated veneer lumber design offers improved fire resistance and carbon sequestration, making it an attractive alternative to conventional materials.
Researchers from CNRS and Cirad have discovered that the bark of certain tree species generates forces that control tree growth and upright posture. This motor function was previously overlooked, but is now recognized as a crucial component of a tree's ability to grow vertically.
A new report by researchers from IIASA, LTU, and RISE finds that large-scale biorefineries will have limited effects on the availability and pricing of wood products and feedstocks. The production of biofuels and chemicals can replace some fossil-based equivalents, leading to increased demand for biomass resources.
Researchers at NIST have combined wood pulp and dried-up pieces of an invasive exotic pest to form a new composite material that is flexible, sustainable, nontoxic, and UV light-reflective. The material could be used in various applications, including food packaging, biomedical devices, and building construction.
The researchers created a systems biology model that mimics the process of wood formation, allowing them to predict the effects of modifying multiple genes involved in lignin biosynthesis. This model will speed up the engineering of trees for specific needs in timber, biofuel, pulp, and paper applications.
The use of wood pellets for clean energy is limited by the loss of carbon sequestration in forests and the impact on biodiversity. The process also requires fossil fuels during manufacturing and overseas shipping, negating any potential carbon neutrality.
Researchers created a sustainable wood carbon sponge material by treating balsa wood, making it highly compressible and suitable for strain sensing and various applications. The material's unique structure provides exceptional mechanical and fatigue resistance, outperforming most reported compressible carbonaceous materials.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have created a durable wood carbon sponge that can withstand repeated compression and extreme mechanical conditions. The sponge has potential applications in energy storage, pollutant treatment, and wearable electronics.
The study highlights the importance of considering access to wood fuels when formulating policies to deal with food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers suggest expanding sustainable biomass production and consumption, including agroforestry practices to ease the burden on women, who collect most firewood.
Researchers discovered a set of enzymes from fungi capable of breaking down xylans, a major component of wood. These enzymes may unlock sustainable conversion of wood into valuable commodities like biofuels.
The Australian fire beetle uses its heat sensors to detect hot spots and avoid them when approaching a freshly burnt branch. The IR organs are relatively insensitive, and the beetles seem to rely on their sense of smell to detect forest fires.
Researchers at INRS develop a hydrometallurgical process to decontaminate treated wood waste, removing over 90% of contaminants. The process is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, diverting wood waste from landfills and incineration.
The study reveals that termites' gut microbiome is a complex factory producing sugars and proteins from wood and air, with up to 5000 different microbe species. Researchers discovered that microbes are shared across colonies, allowing termites to diversify their food source and achieve ecological dominance.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have created a new type of wood that is 10-12 times stronger than natural wood, making it a potential competitor to steel. The wood's mechanical properties are comparable to those of titanium alloys, but with improved toughness and reduced weight.
Researchers found that consumers conveniently forget or misremember products with unethical origins, such as child labor. A study involving college students and a national sample of people showed that participants were more likely to remember the quality attributes than the ethical ones.
A study found that fungi communities on dead trees are much more diverse than previously thought, with over 1,200 species identified. The researchers discovered distinct fungal communities on different tree species, suggesting a complex coevolution between trees and fungi.
Researchers found that porous types of wood can greatly increase the efficiency of water-to-steam conversion under sunlight. The findings could be used in a simple and inexpensive biodegradable device for water purification.
Researchers at MIT have found a new way to control the adhesion of freezing droplets on surfaces by manipulating their thermal properties. This discovery could lead to improved coatings in industries such as 3-D printing and turbine blade manufacturing.
Researchers at Rice University have successfully turned wood into an electrical conductor by creating laser-induced graphene, a form of the atom-thin carbon material. The process involves heating a thin film pattern onto a block of pine using a standard industrial laser, producing high-quality graphene foam bound to the wood surface.
Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism used by brown rot fungi to break down biomass, using chelators and generating hydroxyl radicals to produce simple building-block chemicals. This method has potential use in bio-refineries for biomass conversion into platform chemicals.
Researchers developed a method to identify imported wood using its chemical fingerprint, distinguishing between two separate populations of Douglas-fir trees with high accuracy. The technique has the potential to help law enforcement tackle illegal logging by accurately tracing the origin of wood samples.
A recent study by Lehigh University sociologist Kelly Austin finds that countries with higher gender equality have lower rates of solid fuel use and female exposure to indoor air pollution. The research highlights the importance of female empowerment in reducing this global health issue, which claims 4.3 million premature deaths annually.
The study highlights the importance of civil society organizations in Laos' REDD+ and FLEGT programs, emphasizing their potential to bring valuable local insight and enhance fairness and transparency. However, limitations pose a challenge, including a restricted political system that hinders independent civic society.
A tree growth model developed by Washington State University researchers helps breeders identify trees that can produce more wood. The model simulates hormonal interactions and gene expression to predict radial growth, leading to faster and thicker trees.
Australian cathedral termites evolved from wood-feeding ancestors that migrated over vast distances and adapted to changing environments. Their massive mounds house millions of termites, showcasing remarkable engineering feats.
A UCSB scholar examines the evolution of wooden halibut hooks carved by native people of the Northwest Coast, tracing their design and dimensions over time. The study reveals that the hooks' transformation from utilitarian tool to expression of cultural heritage has driven changes in materials, dimension, and meaning.
Researchers found that advanced wood-burning cookstoves reduce fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions by 45% and 47%, respectively. However, field measurements showed significantly higher emissions compared to laboratory testing.
A team of researchers developed a non-invasive method to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees, which can help understand global carbon pools and tree health. The sonic tomography technology uses sound waves to image the trunk, allowing for the creation of color-coded images of decaying wood.
Researchers at PNNL have chemically modified sawdust to make it exceptionally oil-attracting and buoyant. The material absorbs up to five times its weight in oil and stays afloat for at least four months, ideal for cleaning oil spills in the Arctic.
Scientists found that fungi can break down biomass to release heat without emitting fine particles or VOCs. To achieve sustained use, optimal conditions must be determined for nutrient, moisture, and temperature.
A wood ant colony has thrived in a Polish nuclear bunker for years, defying the harsh conditions of extreme cold and darkness. The colony's population has grown to hundreds of thousands, with researchers finding evidence of complex social behavior and even repair work on their nest.
A team of researchers from Germany and France has developed an equation of state for wood, which can predict water uptake in treated wood with a simple analytical model. This breakthrough could lead to the development of more environmentally friendly preservation treatments and bio-inspired smart actuators.
A new study reveals that transparent wood windows provide better thermal insulation and consistent natural lighting than glass, eliminating glare. The material's channels direct sunlight through the wood, creating a uniform indoor lighting experience.
Heat shock proteins collide with protein complexes, generating a force that breaks apart damaged or dysfunctional proteins. This study provides new insights into the role of heat shock proteins in maintaining proper protein function and preventing disease.
A research team at ETH Zurich has developed a new manufacturing method for succinic acid, a major basic chemical product, using bacteria that convert cellulose from wood waste into glucose. The process is more cost-effective and eco-friendly than traditional oil-based methods.
Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland developed a novel method to add liquid by-products to wood-plastic composites, enhancing their properties. The study also employed PTR-MS to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from WPCs, revealing improvements in water absorption and mechanical properties.
Researchers investigated thermally treated wood species using magnetic resonance methods, revealing changes in structure that couldn't be observed by other methods. The study found correlations between EPR signal amplitude and wood hardness, allowing for the assessment of wood hardness.
Scientists have developed transparent wood that can be used in building materials, potentially saving homeowners money on artificial lighting costs. The material, which is stronger than Plexiglass, still traps some light and may boost the efficiency of solar cells.
Researchers found that substituting up to 100% of peatmoss with pecan wood chips in greenhouse substrates reduces leaching fractions and increases substrate pH, while also providing a positive opportunity for using the product.
Researchers found that varnish increases damping throughout the wood surface, leading to a more isotropic sound radiation. The type of varnish used can also affect the sound, with German master violin makers' varnishes producing a louder tone.
The USDA Forest Service's new interactive guide, Southern Forest Products - An Economic Engine, tells the story of forest products in the South over the last decades. Using FIA data loaded onto the Esri ArcGIS Online platform, the guide provides a constantly updated guide to southern timber product outputs and mills that process them.
Researchers discovered that altering poplar wood composition affects tree microbiome structure and function. Modifications led to changes in bacterial communities within the endosphere, but not outside the plant tissue.
Researchers discovered that ancient Puebloans used trees from the Zuni and Chuska Mountains to build massive structures in Chaco Canyon. The switch to Chuska Mountain trees coincides with significant cultural developments in Chacoan culture, including changes in masonry style and construction volume.
The US forest products market share has declined from 28% in 1999 to 17% in 2013, mainly due to decreases in construction and paper manufacturing. However, a return to long-term housing market averages could bring the demand for wood as a construction material back up.
Researchers found that beaver dams create dead wood hotspots, increasing quantities of standing and deciduous dead wood. This restoration benefits a large number of species, including those dependent on these resources.
A new study finds that US wood pellet exports to the EU have a significant environmental advantage over coal, with carbon emissions savings ranging from 74-85%. The research suggests that using agricultural biomass in wood pellet production can further increase these savings.
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the University of Alabama have successfully synthesized two complex chemical substances from wood-based starting materials. The new xylochemical synthesis demonstrates a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to manufacturing everyday products.
A UMass Amherst study aims to create a market for locally sourced timber by using underused wood species in cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction. CLT's structural viability will be demonstrated, and computer models will be developed for advanced engineering analysis and design.
A species of ant, the northern hairy wood ant (Formica lugubris), is thriving in newly formed coniferous forests in the North York Moors National Park. The ant's population has expanded into these plantations, suggesting they provide a suitable habitat for this forest specialist species.
Researchers applied established methods to study wood, finding a universal pattern of response similar to avalanches. The discovery could help predict failure and prevent damage in industries like furniture and construction.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change found analyses of carbon emissions may be misleading as they failed to include policy mechanisms. Contrary to previous findings, conserving native forests resulted in better climate outcomes than sustainable harvesting due to policy effects.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have successfully printed and dried three-dimensional objects made entirely from cellulose for the first time, competing with fossil-based plastics and metals. The breakthrough uses a 3D bioprinter to create electrically conductive materials with carbon nanotubes.
KU Leuven researchers create sustainable process to convert wood waste lignin into chemical building blocks for various products. The resulting chemicals can be used in paint, insulation foam, and several other applications.