Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Wettability and liquid sorption of wood investigated by Wilhelmy plate method

  • Original
  • Published:
Wood Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The wettability of Scots pine veneers was investigated with different approaches using the Wilhelmy plate method. The probe liquids were water and octane, which differ; in that, water is able to swell the wood sample, whereas octane does not. Novel approaches based on the Wilhelmy plate method to study wettability, liquid penetration, and swelling behavior of wood veneers are introduced. First, immersion to constant depth was performed, and liquid uptake with time was evaluated. Different kinetic regimes, the fastest one associated with contact angle changes and the slowest regime associated with liquid sorption by capillary and diffusion, were observed. Two other approaches, imbibition at constant depth (with initial deeper immersion) and full immersion, were utilized in order to keep the contact angle constant during measurements. Dynamic wettability studies were done by a multi-cycle (10–20 cycles) Wilhelmy method. Based on this, the time-dependent swelling of wood and changes in sample perimeter could be obtained. Generally, water showed higher absorption than octane. In all wettability studies, and for both probe liquids, the penetration process starts with a fast initial sorption, which is followed by swelling in the case of water.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ayrilmis N (2011) Effect of fire retardants on surface roughness and wettability of wood plastic composite panels. Bioresources 6(3):3178–3187

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg JC (1993) Wettability. Surfactant science series, vol 49. Marcel Dekker, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Brugnara M, Volpe CD, Maniglio D, Siboni S, Negri M, Gaeti N (2006) Wettability of porous materials, I: the use of Wilhelmy experiment: the cases of stone, wood and non-woven fabric. Contact Angle Wettability Adhes 4:115–141

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bryne LE, Wålinder MEP (2010) Ageing of modified wood. Part 1: wetting properties of acetylated, furfurylated, and thermally modified wood. Holzforschung 64(3):295–304

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Casilla RC, Chow S, Steiner PR (1981) An immersion technique for studying wood wettability. Wood Sci Technol 15(1):31–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Meijer M, Haemers S, Cobben W, Militz H (2000) Surface energy determinations of wood: comparison of methods and wood species. Langmuir 16(24):9352–9359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Englund F, Bryne LE, Ernstsson M, Lausmaa J, Wålinder M (2009) Spectroscopic studies of surface chemical composition and wettability of modified wood. Wood Mater Sci Eng 4(1–2):80–85

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia R, Cloutier A, Riedl B (2006) Chemical modification and wetting of medium density fibreboard panels produced from fibres treated with maleated polypropylene wax. Wood Sci Technol 40(5):402–416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner DJ, Generalla NC, Gunnells DW, Wolcott MP (1991) Dynamic wettability of wood. Langmuir 7(11):2498–2502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkou M, Pétrissans M, El Bakali I, Gérardin P, Zoulalian A (2005a) Wettability changes and mass loss during heat treatment of wood. Holzforschung 59(1):35–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkou M, Pétrissans M, Zoulalian A, Gérardin P (2005b) Investigation of wood wettability changes during heat treatment on the basis of chemical analysis. Polym Degrad Stab 89(1):1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman RL (1975) A study of the advancing interface. I. Interface shape in liquid—gas systems. J Colloid Interface Sci 50(2):228–241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klungness JH (1981) Measuring the wetting angle and perimeter of single wood pulp fibers: a modified method. Tappi 64(12):65–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Liptáková E, Kúdela J (1994) Analysis of the wood wetting process. Holzforschung 48(2):139–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu JZ, Wu Q (2006) Surface characterization of chemically modified wood: dynamic wettability. Wood Fiber Sci 38(3):497–511

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mantanis GI, Young RA (1997) Wetting of wood. Wood Sci Technol 31(5):339–353

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed-Ziegler I, Hórvölgyi Z, Tóth A, Forsling W, Holmgren A (2006) Wettability and spectroscopic characterization of silylated wood samples. Polym Adv Technol 17(11–12):932–939

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neumann AW, Good RJ (1979) Chapter 2. Techniques of measuring contact angles. In: Good RJ, Stromberg RR (eds) Surface and colloid science volume II. Plenum Press, New York, pp 47–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum RM, Sterley M (2002) The effect of wood extractive content on glue adhesion and surface wettability of wood. Wood Fiber Sci 34(1):57–71

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petrič M, Knehtl B, Krause A, Militz H, Pavlič M, Pétrissans M, Rapp A, Tomažič M, Welzbacher C, Gérardin P (2007) Wettability of waterborne coatings on chemically and thermally modified pine wood. J Coat Technol Res 4(2):203–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pétrissans M, Gérardin P, El Bakali I, Serraj M (2003) Wettability of heat-treated wood. Holzforschung 57(3):301–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen Q, Nylund J, Rosenholm JB (1998) Estimation of the surface energy and acid-base properties of wood by means of wetting method. Holzforschung 52(5):521–529

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shupe TE, Hse CY, Choong ET, Groom LH (1998) Effect of wood grain and veneer side on loblolly pine. For Prod J 48(6):95

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinn G, Sandak J, Ramananantoandro T (2009) Properties of wood surfaces—characterisation and measurement. A review. COST Action E35 2004–2008: wood machining—micromechanics and fracture. Holzforschung 63(2):196–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Son J, Gardner DJ (2004) Dimensional stability measurements of thin wood veneers using the Wilhelmy plate technique. Wood Fiber Sci 36(1):98–106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tretinnikov ON, Ikada Y (1994) Dynamic wetting and contact angle hysteresis of polymer surfaces studied with the modified Wilhelmy balance method. Langmuir 10(5):1606–1614

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Volpe CD, Fambri L, Siboni S, Brugnara M (2010) Wettability of porous materials III: Is the Wilhelmy method useful for fabrics analysis? J Adhes Sci Technol 24(1):149–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wålinder MEP (2002) Study of lewis acid-base properties of wood by contact angle analysis. Holzforschung 56(4):363–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wålinder MEP, Johansson I (2001) Measurement of wood wettability by the Wilhelmy method. Part 1. Contamination of probe liquids by extractives. Holzforschung 55(1):21–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wålinder MEP, Ström G (2001) Measurement of wood wettability by the Wilhelmy method. Part 2. Determination of apparent contact angles. Holzforschung 55(1):33–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Zhang Y, Xing C (2007) Effect of drying method on the surface wettability of wood strands. Eur J Wood Prod 65(6):437–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelmy J (1863) Über die Abhängigkeit der Kapillaritäts-Konstanten des Alkohols von Substanz und Gestalt des benetzten festen Körpers. Ann Physik 119:177–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winfield PH, Harris AF, Hutchinson AR (2001) The use of flame ionisation technology to improve the wettability and adhesion properties of wood. Int J Adhes Adhes 21(2):107–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie X, Morrow NR (2000) Contact angles on quartz induced by adsorption of heteropolar hydrocarbons. In: Drelich J, Laskowski JS, Mittal KL (eds) Apparent and microscopic contact angles. VSP BV, The Netherlands, pp 129–145

Download references

Acknowledgments

The Nils and Dorthi Tröedsson Foundation for Scientific Research is thanked for financial support within the sustainable wood modification PhD project and for the adjunct professorship at KTH for Agne Swerin.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Chemistry, Materials and Surfaces, Box 5607, 114 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Maziar Sedighi Moghaddam, Per M. Claesson & Agne Swerin

  2. Department of Chemistry, Surface and Corrosion Science, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

    Per M. Claesson & Agne Swerin

  3. Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Materials, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

    Magnus E. P. Wålinder

  4. SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Wood Technology, Box 5609, 114 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Magnus E. P. Wålinder

Authors
  1. Maziar Sedighi Moghaddam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Per M. Claesson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Magnus E. P. Wålinder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Agne Swerin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Agne Swerin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sedighi Moghaddam, M., Claesson, P.M., Wålinder, M.E.P. et al. Wettability and liquid sorption of wood investigated by Wilhelmy plate method. Wood Sci Technol 48, 161–176 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-013-0592-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-013-0592-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation