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Microstructure of wood char

Part 1: Whole wood

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Summary

Past research on the combustion and pyrolysis of wood have often indicated a link between wood microstructure and its observed properties in fire exposure. The present research, after utilizing an instrumented fire exposure shown to simulate actual fire conditions, examines the microstructure of fire damaged wood and considers the implications of microstructural changes seen on the burning process.

Differences in microstructural detail between wood and char, as well as fissure geometry, were shown to be consistent. The demarcation between damaged and undamaged wood was shown to be extremely small (several cell layers in thickness). The resulting microstructural observations are considered in light of published kinetic data on wood combustion and current theories and data on thermal degradation of wood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Products Laboratory, University of California, Richmond, Carlifornia

    J. B. Zicherman

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Berkeley, California

    R. B. Williamson

Authors
  1. J. B. Zicherman
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  2. R. B. Williamson
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Additional information

The authors wish to acknowledge the general support of the University of California Forest Products Laboratory as well as grant support to the University of California Berkeley Fire Research Group (NSF-Rann-S-22053, NFPCA-S-22584), University of California Berkeley Electron Microscopy Lab. (NSF-GB-38359) and the University of California, Davis Department of Botany (NSF-GB-29653). In addition we would also like to thank Dr. Arno P. Schniewind, University of California Forest Products Laboratory and Dr. R. Falk, University of California, Davis, Department of Botany

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Zicherman, J.B., Williamson, R.B. Microstructure of wood char. Wood Sci.Technol. 15, 237–249 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350942

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350942

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