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.
A pioneer effort is made in this study to carry out an experimental determination of shrinkage
characteristics of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) wood on its linear, volumetric, and
coefficient values with the hope of ascertaining its utilization potential as timber. Three study
locations were randomly selected from defined vegetation zones of north eastern Nigeria for
the study. These are Maiduguri (Sahel savanna) Yola (Sudan savanna), and Bauchi (Guinea
savanna). Forty five (45) tree samples of neem trees were randomly selected and felled, from
which 135 wood specimens were extracted and prepared using Romanian Standard for the
research. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the obtained data. Results
showed that the tree species has an average tangential linear shrinkage of 12.74%, radial
linear shrinkage of 6.26%, longitudinal linear shrinkage of 1.15%, and volumetric shrinkage of
19.12%. The coefficients of tangential, radial, and longitudinal shrinkage were 0.00674,
0.00339, and 0.00061 respectively. The analysis of variance revealed insignificant differences
of shrinkage between the three vegetation zones, the sampled trees, as well as between the
tree trunk sections. Since the shrinkage value of neem wood compares favorably with some
local wood species used for timber, neem wood could be considered suitable for timber
production.
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