Journal of Environmental Biology

Some technological properties and uses of paulownia

(Paulownia tomentosa Steud.) wood

 

M. Hakan Akyildiz*¹ and Hamiyet Sahin Kol²

¹Kastamonu University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Industrial Engineering, 37100 Kastamonu, Turkey

²Karabuk University, Technical Education Faculty, Department of Furniture and Decoration Education, 78050 Karabuk, Turkey

(Received: January 23, 2009; Revised received: May 20, 2009; Accepted: July 25, 2009)

 

Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine some physical and mechanical properties of Paulownia tomentosa wood grown in Turkey. The samples trees harvested from Kargi in Corum.? Physical properties including air-dry density, oven-dry density, basic density, swelling, shrinkage and oven-dry and air-dry thermal conductivity coefficients; mechanical properties including bending strength, modulus of elasticity in bending, compression strength parallel to grain, hardness, bonding strength were analyzed. Paulownia tomentosa wood?s air dry and oven dry densities were determined as 0.317 and 0.294 g cm^-3; basic density was determined as 0.272 g cm^-3; volumetric shrinkage and swelling were determined as 7.78 and 8.41%; tangential, radial and longitudinal air-dry thermal conductivity coefficients were determined as 0.089, 0.090 and 0.133 kcal/mh^oC, respectively. Fiber saturation point (FSP) was found 28.79%; bending strength, Modulus of elasticity in bending, compression strength parallel to grain and Brinell hardness values (parallel and perpendicular to grain) were determined as 43.56 N mm^-2, 4281.32 N mm^-2, 25.55 N mm^-2,? 2.01 kgf mm^-2 and 0.88 kgf mm^-2, respectively. Consequently, paulownia wood can be widely used for various purposes such as house construction, furniture making, pulp and paper and handicrafts.

Key words: Paulownia tomentosa, Technological properties, Thermal conductivity

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