Carbonization of wood at 400°C for composite materials

The carbonization process for large pieces of wood was investigated to produce a solid carbonized wood skeleton precursor that retains the cellular structure of the wood without the formation of cracks and with reduced longitudinal deformation. Two carbonization schedules were designed for the conversion of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and southern pine ( Pinus spp) into amorphous carbon at a heat treatment temperature of 400°C. Samples from commercial lumber were carbonized to produce the materials. Each schedule was designed meticulously through DTA-TGA for each wood species. The materials were characterized by their average yields, dimensional changes, density, porosity, SEM and mechanical testing. Also, the materials were used as solid carbon skeletons for making resin-infused carbon composites. Structural epoxy resin was infused into the carbon material template and cured at a maximum temperature of 125°C. The depth of the resin infusion was assessed by SEM examination and the retention was analyzed by total weight gain. The strength and the stiffness of the composite materials were evaluated through mechanical testing. It was demonstrated that southern pine and sugar maple should require different heat treatment schedules for carbonization. The schedules were able to reduce the longitudinal deformation and to keep the final products free of cracks. The yield averaged around 28% for both southern pine and sugar maple. Carbonized southern pine exhibited lower density and higher porosity than carbonized sugar maple. The resin treatment increased specific gravity of carbonized materials by 9.6% and 11.6% for maple and southern pine respectively. The resin infusion improved the average MOR values by 140% and 275%. MOE of the composites was similar to that of pure epoxy.