Distribution of added chemicals in the cell walls of high temperature dried and green wood of Swedish pine, Pinus sylvestris

Abstract

High temperature dried and green wood of Swedish pine was impregnated with glycerate and silver nitrate. TEM and STEM/EDS on ultramicrotomed specimens was used to reveal the location of silver in the cell wall. The silver was precipitated by a new method using silver nitrate impregnated after which the wood had been impregnated with potassium glycerate. A significant difference in the distribution of the silver was observed. In the green wood, there was a homogenous distribution of the impregnant compared to the dried specimens. The inhomogenous distribution in the dried specimens is believed to be the result of damage inside the wood cell walls which in turn will have a negative effect on dimensional stabilizing results. The darker compound middle lamella observed is believed to be an artefact.