Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1979. / Typescript (photocopy). One ill. folded in pocket. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

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Wood composites industry has been growing for decades. However, wood composites have been associated with some health concerns due to the presence of formaldehyde. A promising bio-based resin Epoxidized Sucrose Soyate (ESS) was investigated as a potential primary binder in particleboards. The goal of this research was to find a strong and durable resin for wood composites. Several ESS-MDI based formulas were found that were able to match the performance criteria for particleboard. / North Dakota Soybean Council

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-120). Also available on the World Wide Web.

The increasing demand on wood and wood products, and the simultaneously decreasing quality of wood as a raw material leads to the increasing significance of wood-based composites such as particleboard or flakeboard. The resulting mechanical and physical properties are to the large extend dictated by the densification of the wood component. To be able to predict the density of the material, the behavior of structural elements must be known. A theory developed for rigid plastic foams was modified and applied to the deformation of wood in transverse compression. A testing procedure for high strain compression over a range of temperatures was developed. In addition, a stochastic model for prediction of high strain behavior was developed. Wood of yellow poplar (<i>Liriodendron tulipuera</i>) was used as the experimental material. / Master of Science

Western juniper and cinnamon essential oils were combined with ethanol at 2.5, 5, and 10% concentrations by weight and applied to hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x P. deltoids) veneers by vacuum soaking to produce a naturally durable wood veneer with increased mechanical properties for use in structural composites. Half of these veneers were then modified using viscoelastic thermal compression to increase veneer density and modulus of elasticity. Following densification, unprocessed and VTC processed veneers receiving an essential oil treatment were subjected to an AWPA E21-06 Formosan termite exposure test, AWPA E24-06 mold box test, and brown rot (Gloeophyllum trabeum) decay bending test. While VTC processing drastically reduced the abundance of chemical components inherent within essential oil treatments, veneer specimens without VTC processing showed increased durability. A 10% juniper oil treatment drastically reduced Formosan termite attack on hybrid poplar veneers while a 10% cinnamon oil treatment significantly reduced mold growth. Timbor��, an industrial powdered borate treatment, withstood VTC processing and inhibited Formosan termite attack and mold growth. Tests to evaluate the effectiveness of essential oil treatments against brown rot were unsuccessful. Results suggest that incorporating a disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) treatment prior to VTC processing could help improve VTC wood durability. / Graduation date: 2013