Raw and analyzed data for manuscript "The synergistic effect of microwave drying and plasma surface treatments on the wettability of green wood"

Abstract:

In spite of being a one-step solution to several problems associated with woodworking and being energy efficient, the application of microwave (MW) modification in wood research remained very limited and the promising method has practically no use in wood industries across the globe. Research done so far in this field primarily sheds light on its potential in enhancing wood permeability, treatability and uniform wood drying. While MW treatments are mostly used on wet or green wood, another modification technique, plasma, has potential benefits to synergistically enhance effects of MW treatment, but has not been applied on wet or green wood specimens, so far. This study takes a first step to investigate effects of plasma treatments (PT) on green wood specimens as well as combinations of MW and plasma treatments. As a preliminary study, the methodology focuses on water contact angle measurements, since these are most commonly used as indicators for surface modifications in industrial applications. On the investigated samples of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.), an exponential time dependence was found for the contact angle. Initial contact angle after droplet deposition increased due to drying and migration of organic molecules during treatments. In comparison to the literature, the effect of plasma was significantly less pronounced on wet wood specimens. The initial contact angle showed lowest statistical variations after MW treatment, whereas plasma increased inhomogeneities. The final contact angle on treated specimens was lowest for PT-only specimens as well as specimens treated with plasma after MW. In contrast to the initial contact angle, the final contact angle showed lowest variations after PT. Wetting rates were insignificantly improved by plasma, with reduced statistical variations after all treatments.