COLOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF PINE WOOD AFFECTED BY THERMAL COMPRESSING CARACTERÍSTICAS DA COR DA MADEIRA DE PINUS AFETADA POR COMPRESSÃO TÉRMICA

The goal of this study was to determine the effects of thermal modification and hot-pressing on the colour characteristics of pine wood as bio-resource. The experimental wood boards with dimensions of 250 mm in width by 500 mm in length by 18 mm in thickness were thermally compressed at a temperature of 120 oC or 150 oC, press pressure of 5 or 7 MPa for 60 min in a hot press. Results obtained in this study showed that the colour characteristics of the pine wood boards were affected by press pressure and temperature. The resin leakages significantly increased the chromacity (a* - 25.99 and b* - 43.18) of the treated wood samples. Thermally compressing caused browning of wood colour, which rate increases with pressure at high temperature conditions.