Based on the strong correlation between acidity and some properties of heat treated wood reported in previous studies, the effect of borate impregnation as an alkali buffering medium was investigated on the hygroscopic and swelling properties of heat-treated wood. Wood samples were impregnated with 0.1M Sodium borate solution (pH = 9.4) before they were subjected to heat treatment at 200°C for durations of 2 and 4 hours. The pre-treatment impregnation with borate salt increased the hydrophobic and antiswelling effects of the heat treatment on wood. This suggests that the bulking effect of the borate salt is more significant than its mitigating effect on the degree of cellulose degradation during heat treatment.
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