AN ATR-FTIR STUDY ON PENETRATION OF RESINS IN WOOD

Wood samples were treated with allylic ether resins having various molecular weights, various structures and with the use of different solvents. Using a technique based on Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differences in the characteristic bands of wood and resin were monitored throughout a piece of wood treated with resins and thus a penetration profile was demonstrated. ATR-FTIR showed that there were differences in the chemical composition of the wood itself at different depths from the surface. The resins could be detected at a depth of more than 3 mm into the wood after 4 days of penetration by gravity. Using a characteristic band for wood as an internal standard, it could be demonstrated that penetration depends upon the solvent used, molecular weight of the resin and also morphology of the wood.