Interactions of Cold Radiofrequency Plasma with Solid Wood I. Nitrogen Permeability along the Grain

Abstract

Exposure of 1.5 cm diameter × 1.2 cm long white fir and Douglas-fir heart-and sapwood samples to the action of cold radiofrequency oxygen, nitrogen, and helium plasmas strongly increased wood permeability to nitrogen flow along the grain. Oxygen was most effective, followed by nitrogen and helium. While an increase in radiofrequency energy level increased the effect, the opposite was true for an increase in reactant gas flow rate. With white fir the rate of permeability increase was higher at the beginning of the plasma treatment. This was attributed to differing ablation rates of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. No significant time difference in the rate of permeability increase was observed with Douglas-fir. Extractives suppressed the plasmainduced permeability increase; thus extraction with water and ethanol, followed by oxygen plasma treatment increased permeability of Douglas-fir heartwood 32 times, while plasma treatment of the unextracted Douglas-fir increased permeability only 8 times. The permeability of extracted and oxygen plasma-treated wood did not vary much across the grain, but did decrease with distance from the ends of the samples due to incomplete removal of extractives from the center.