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In this study, Pinus massoniana wood was heat treated with silicone oil to modify the chemical composition relative to the unmodified wood. Specifically, polysaccharide, lignin, extractives and ash contents were the properties investigated. The wood samples were first of all pre-heated in a micro-wave oven to ease heat transfer within the wood. Silicone oil heat treatment was carried out at 150, 180 and 210°C for 2, 4, 8 h. The silicone oil heat treated wood was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and contact angle. Results showed that silicone oil heat treatment caused significant decrease in the polysaccharide (P ˂ 0,0001) and ash contents (P ˂ 0,0001) and significant increase in the lignin (P ˂ 0,0001) and extractives contents (P ˂ 0,0001) as the treatment time increased. FTIR results showed that the chemical constituents of the wood were affected by the treatment, while TGA showed that the treated wood resulted in higher thermal stability with increase in the crystallinity index. Silicone oil heat treatment proved to be effective in increasing the contact angle of the wood.

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The effects of freeze-silicone oil heat treatment (combination of treatments) on the chemical properties of wood were investigated using fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results obtained showed that the impact of combine treatments on the wood was positive. FTIR results showed apparent changes in the chemical composition of the treated wood, XRD results indicated relative increase in the crystallinity index of the treated wood compared to the untreated and TGA showed reduction in the weight loss of the treated as compared with the untreated wood samples.

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Over the years, Nigerian tropical rainforest has become the main source of timber supply to many countries which were in critical need of timber to feed their wood-based industries. The increase in population has led to increase in the demands for forest products, specifically wood for construction. Improper harvesting practices has substantially degraded the tropical forest that future timber values may be reduced. Sustainable wood harvesting focuses on the trees that are remaining rather than on the trees that are to be fell. Proper wood harvesting and management method must be adopted to facilitate the regeneration of the forest. Efficient wood harvesting in Nigeria requires the construction of landing sites as collection points for the harvested timbers and adequate training must be provided to the operators of the diverse harvesting equipment. With proper timber harvesting techniques, the damages caused by logging can be minimized. Functional forest policies that guide against over-exploitation of timber should be enacted. Reduced impact logging should be incorporated into sustainable forest management to reduce devastating damages to the residual trees in the forest.

Wood modification in general, is an environmental non-biocide method to modify and improve certain wood properties to enable its utilization for diverse purpose. In this study, Firmiana simplex wood was modify using low melting point tin-alloy as the heat-treatment medium. The anatomical properties of the tin-bath treated wood were studied using a light microscope and scanning electron microscope analysis. Microscopic analyses with a light microscope showed that the morphologies of the wood were less smashed by the impact of the treatment with no deformation of the vessels after tin-alloy treatment while scanning electron microscope revealed collapse in the wood structures with damages to the cell walls and vessels. It was also evident from scanning electron microscope analyses that tin-alloy penetrated the wood structure, therefore forming a film covering the cell walls and partly occupying the wood cell lumens.