Determination of color-changing effects of bleaching chemicals on some heat-treated woods

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this study was to use bleaching chemicals to remove the discoloration occurring on the surface of wood after heat treatment in order to restore the natural color of the wood. For this purpose, samples prepared from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), sessile oak (Quercus petraea L.), Eastern beech (Fagus orientalis L.), and Uludağ fir (Abies bornmuelleriana Mattf.) were exposed to heat treatment at temperatures of 140 and 160 °C for time periods of 3, 5, and 7 h. Bleaching solutions S1 (NaOH + H2O2), S2 (NaSiO3 + H2O2), and S3 (H2C2O4) at a concentration of 18% were then applied to the surface of the materials and the color change was determined according to ASTM D 2244 standard. Depending on the heat treatment temperature and duration, an increase in total color change values was detected on the surfaces of the materials and the color of the samples became darker. The total color change values decreased after bleaching with the S2 solution in the heat-treated Scots pine and fir samples, with the S3 solution in the beech samples, and with the S1, S2, and S3 solutions in the oak samples. The findings showed that by using bleaching chemicals to lighten wood materials darkened after heat treatment, it is possible to obtain results close to the natural color values.