초록

Methods of treating wood and wood products include irradiating untreated wood having a first molecular weight with ionizing radiation to cause an increase in the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of treating wood, the method comprising: irradiating untreated wood, in the form of sawn lumber or a finished wood product, with electron beam radiation or gamma radiation, the wood having a first molecular weight and a moisture content of less than about 35% by weig

What is claimed is: 1. A method of treating wood, the method comprising: irradiating untreated wood, in the form of sawn lumber or a finished wood product, with electron beam radiation or gamma radiation, the wood having a first molecular weight and a moisture content of less than about 35% by weight with at least 0.25 to about 2.5 MRad of radiation having an energy of from about 2.5 MeV to about 7.5 MeV to increase the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight at least about 10% higher than the first weight. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising quenching the irradiated wood. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein quenching is performed in the presence of a gas selected to react with radicals present in the irradiated wood. 4. The method of claim 2 wherein quenching comprises applying pressure to the irradiated wood. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the increase in molecular weight is at least 50%. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wood has a moisture content of less than about 25% during irradiation. 7. A wood product formed by irradiating untreated wood, in the form of sawn lumber or a finished wood product, the wood having a first molecular weight and a moisture content of less than about 35% by weight with at least 0.25 to about 2.5 MRad of radiation having an energy of from about 2.5 MeV to about 7.5 MeV to increase the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight at least about 10% higher than the first weight.