4results about "Wood hardening process" patented technology

The invention relates to methods for preparing modified wood and wood products, including methods to fortify wood by increasing the strength and / or density of wood so as to yield a fortified wood or wood product. The methods can be used to, for example, improve the performance, alter the appearance, and / or improve the durability of wood, and particularly, solid wood. The methods comprise a combination of resin and thermal treatments to yield modified wood and modified wood products.

The invention provides a method of producing a piece of delignified wood having a porous structure, said method comprising: chemically treating a piece of natural wood to remove at least 90% of lignin from the natural wood while substantially retaining cellulose-based lumina of the natural wood, thereby producing a piece of delignified wood; after the removing, drying the piece of delignified wood by freeze drying or critical point drying, such that the cellulose-based lumina remain open or unobstructed in a cross-sectional view; and after the drying, further chemically treating the piece of delignified wood to be hydrophobic or resistant to weather or salt water, or forming or depositing a coating on exterior surfaces of the delignified wood. The unique microstructure and composition of the delignified wood can provide advantageous thermal insulation properties, among other advantages described herein.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a delignified and densified wood product. The wood is delignified in the form of a veneer using process conditions corresponding to the sulfate process. The wood veneer is subjected to a pre-hydrolysis treatment prior to a process step corresponding to the sulfate process. The invention also relates to a delignified and densified wood product produced using said method. The delignified and densified wood product according to the invention has particularly advantageous strength properties.

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing a delignified and densified wood product. The wood is delignified in the form of veneers, using process conditions corresponding to the Kraft process. The wood veneers are subjected to a pre-hydrolysis treatment before the process steps corresponding to the Kraft process. The present invention also relates to a delignified and densified wood product produced using said process. The delignified and densified wood product according to the present invention has particularly advantageous strength properties.