Effect of wood modifiers on the physical properties of fast- growing poplar wood

Investigate the wood modifilers effect on the physical properties of fast-growing poplar wood. Wood modifier was applied to impregnation drying operation on fast-growing poplar, and the characteristics of poplar wood before and after modification were observed with X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer to analyze the physical properties of the wood. The modification could significantly improve physical properties of the poplar wood. XRD data illustrated that wood modifier could reduce crystallinity of wood from 39.65% to 36.89%. The findings of energy-dispersive spectrometer indicated that nitrogen (N), oxygen (O) and carbon (C) were evenly distributed in the wood. SEM spectrum analyzed the distribution of wood modifier in the wood pores. The FTIR spectra proved that there was cross-linking reaction between the modifier and the internal parts of the wood, and the amount of hydroxyl decreased sharply.