Hygroscopic swelling of chemically modified wood by in-situ X-ray scattering

The deformation of wood from the absorption and desorption of water in the cell wall, along with the effects of hygroscopic
modifying agents, continues to pose significant challenges in the engineering of dimensionally stable wood-based composites. The
complexity of these interactions underscores the need for advanced approaches to mitigate the inherent variability of wood’s response to
moisture. X-ray scattering enables real-time and non-invasive characterization of wood across under varying conditions. The proposal aims
at in-situ measurement of moisture-dependent changes in the packing distance and the inner structure of the microfibrils of wood samples
by small and wide-angle X-ray scattering. Understanding how the different modifying agents influence the wood-moisture adsorption speed
/capacity and moisture induced deformation by using X-ray surface scattering would greatly promote the application of wood-based
materials in engineering applications.