European Journal of Wood and Wood Products最新文献

{"title":"Plasma-assisted enhancement of adhesion strength between alder veneer and thermoplastic LDPE film in veneer-based composites","authors":"Jozef Ráheľ,&nbsp;Tomáš Pipíška,&nbsp;Pavlo Bekhta,&nbsp;Barbora Mayer,&nbsp;Marek Nociar,&nbsp;Michal Šulák,&nbsp;Richard Slávik,&nbsp;Dimitrios Tsalagkas,&nbsp;Jaroslav Panda,&nbsp;Pavel Král","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02438-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02438-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The inherently weak adhesion between hydrophobic thermoplastics and hydrophilic wood remains a key limitation in thermoplastic‑bonded wood composites. This study investigates atmospheric air plasma treatment as a dry and scalable surface activation method to improve bonding between a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film and alder veneer in plywood composites. To ensure a reliable basis for evaluating plasma effects, the thermoplastic-bonded plywood fabrication protocol was first optimised within this study. Plasma activation significantly improved interfacial properties, leading to enhanced mechanical performance of the composites. The modulus of rupture and the modulus of elasticity increased by up to 16% and 19%, respectively, while the wet shear strength improved by approximately 23%, allowing all treated panels to meet the requirements of EN 314 2. Surface analysis revealed a substantial increase in surface free energy (approximately twofold for LDPE and nearly threefold for veneer), accompanied by the introduction of oxygen‑containing functional groups (–OH, –C = O, –COOH). Microscopic observations confirmed an improved bondline integrity, with reduced delamination after water exposure. These findings demonstrate that plasma treatment effectively strengthens the wood-thermoplastic interfaces without chemical additives, offering a promising route for producing high-performance formaldehyde-free plywood.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02438-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148236808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bond performance development of lab-scale oriented strand lumber panels with pressing time and its comparison with ABES results","authors":"Andrej Fašalek,&nbsp;Lukas Malzl,&nbsp;Johannes Konnerth,&nbsp;Hendrikus W. G. van Herwijnen,&nbsp;Heiko Thoemen,&nbsp;Jan Stroobants,&nbsp;Johann Moser,&nbsp;Wolfgang Kantner,&nbsp;Christoph Gabler,&nbsp;Pia Solt-Rindler,&nbsp;Arthur Czasch,&nbsp;Maximilian Pramreiter","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02440-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02440-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A small-scale test for evaluating the cohesive strength development of adhesives, such as ASTM D7998-15, using the Automated Bonding Evaluation System (ABES), is often used in the development of wood-based panels and their adhesives. However, ABES results are not always directly transferable to panel performance, which may be particularly challenging for isocyanate adhesives, whose curing depends on moisture. Therefore, pine oriented strand lumber (OSL) panels were produced at different pressing times, analogous to bond-strength development measurements using ABES. Panels were tested for internal bond strength (IB), thickness swelling (TS), and water absorption (WA) to assess whether ABES trends are reflected in panel performance development. ABES data for the same adhesive–wood combinations were taken from our previous work and were also used as input for Virtual Hot Press (VHP) simulations. IB development in panels correlated with ABES during the strength-development phase, indicating that ABES is a useful tool for assessing relative curing speed. The kinetic ranking agreed, with modified methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (modified MDI) being the fastest, polymeric MDI (pMDI) and melamine–urea–formaldehyde (MUF1) intermediate, and MUF2 the slowest. In contrast, plateau strengths showed weaker agreement between ABES and panels, indicating that ABES is less reliable for predicting final IB. TS and WA were not suitable indicators of curing degree, whereas panel thickness after pressing provided a clearer indication of reaching maximum IB. VHP simulations captured overall trends but showed discrepancies due to uncertainty in the temperature input and predicted disproportionately longer press times for thicker and denser panels.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02440-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148236810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A hierarchical fusion framework combining wavelet and deep features for accurate recognition of three Hongmu species and visually similar wood species","authors":"Guangjie Su,&nbsp;Guona Wang,&nbsp;Xinyi Wang,&nbsp;Haiwang Huang,&nbsp;Jianping Sun,&nbsp;Qiong Guo","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02437-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02437-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Due to the high visual similarity in macroscopic textures between Hongmu and its lookalike species, even CNN-based identification methods often struggle to achieve high accuracy. To address the limitations of standard deep learning models in capturing fine-grained textural details, we propose a novel hierarchical fusion framework that integrates wavelet-based high-frequency features into different depths of the Inception-V3 network. Specifically, four fusion strategies were explored to identify the optimal feature integration timing: shallow-layer fusion (after Stem), mid-layer fusion (after Inception-A), deep-layer fusion (after Inception-B), and end-layer fusion (before the classifier). Experimental evidence underscores that the placement of fusion operations critically impacts model effectiveness. Relatively, the end-layer fusion strategy emerged as the optimal architecture, achieving a top-1 accuracy of 93.89%, a 2.39% point higher accuracy than the Inception-V3 baseline. Crucially, this method significantly improved the recognition of highly similar species of <i>Baphia nitida</i> and <i>Pterocarpus tinctorius</i> by effectively leveraging complementary spectral and semantic features. These findings highlight the importance of precise fusion timing for effective multi-scale feature integration. The proposed framework provides a potential efficient and reliable solution for identifying the selected Hongmu species, with significant potential for timber trade oversight and forest conservation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148236807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping and analysing wood flows across the Italian forest-based wood value chain: a material flows analysis","authors":"Muhammad Tayyab Khan,&nbsp;Mauro Masiero,&nbsp;Davide Pettenella,&nbsp;Nicola Andrighetto,&nbsp;Holger Weimar,&nbsp;Sebastian Glasenapp","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02428-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02428-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding national wood flows is essential for assessing the sustainability and efficiency of a forest-based bioeconomy, as well as evaluating its possible impacts on decarbonization processes. This study develops a comprehensive material flow analysis model for Italy’s forest-wood sector in 2018 using the Italian Lumber Exchange (ILEX) model, by integrating a wide range of data from secondary sources (national and international official statistics) and some primary sources of information. A system dynamics approach is applied to harmonize upstream and downstream flows, quantify hidden flows, and convert economic values into physical ones. The model extends the mapping of wood flow to include emerging sectors, such as green chemistry, and post-consumer product recycling. It also estimates bioenergy consumption and the removals of fuelwood associated with that. The results of the model show that the total removals of Italian forests in 2018 amounted to 17.26 million m³, of which approximately 87.1% consisted of fuelwood. Nearly 90.0% of the sawnwood, veneer, and plywood supply in the Italian market depends on imported wood, either directly through imports of these products or indirectly through imports of industrial roundwood used as raw material for their production. In contrast, the panel sector uses 66.1% recycled wood, while the paper sector relies on 57.1% recycled paper. To our best knowledge, this work provides the first complete and operational representation of Italy’s forest-wood value chain and could serve as a decision-support tool for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to enhance climate and resource-use policy in the wood sector.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02428-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tensile strength prediction of Norway spruce boards processed from recovered wood: performance of visual and machine grading","authors":"Florian Scharpenack,&nbsp;Andriy Kovryga,&nbsp;Ani Khaloian Sarnaghi,&nbsp;Jan-Willem van de Kuilen","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02431-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02431-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Biotic and abiotic climate stressors jeopardize Norway spruce stands, necessitating the evaluation of alternative pathways for structural timber. One promising alternative is the utilization of recovered wood. Dimensional irregularities and design requirements often render reuse infeasible, underscoring the need for processing. Processing corrects dimensional discrepancies; however, prior grading becomes invalid due to cross-sectional changes. To date, there is no German standard for grading recovered wood. Due to additional features compared to new-sawn wood, the applicability of machine grading and the visual standard DIN 4074—1 requires an initial evaluation. This paper experimentally analyzes the general tensile strength of 146 boards (30 × 90 mm²) processed from 22 salvaged rafters. The applicability of DIN 4074—1:2012 is evaluated by assessing visual features and correlating them with tensile properties. Machine grading is evaluated based on an automated scanning process. The findings highlight that visual and machine strength grading are both applicable to the processed recovered wood boards investigated. The graded boards exhibited tensile properties comparable to those of new-sawn wood. In the characterized extent, no impact from fastener holes was observed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02431-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optical surface degradation of selected wood-based furniture materials under microscratch abrasion","authors":"Hilal Ulaşan,&nbsp;Yasemin Öztürk,&nbsp;Cevdet Söğütlü,&nbsp;Hasan Aksu","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02439-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02439-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the gloss change behavior of different furniture surface types subjected to microscratch abrasion using Martindale Procedures A and B in accordance with EN 16611:2023. Six surface groups, including a matte white (melamine-faced particleboard) panel and five decorative surface-coated wood-based panels (cream and brown melamine-faced panels, glossy white and black acrylic surfaces, and an orange verzalit panel), were evaluated to assess post-abrasion optical performance. Gloss measurements were conducted at 20°, 60°, and 85° geometries to examine the influence of measurement angle on the sensitivity of gloss change detection. In addition, initial surface roughness (Ra) was measured to evaluate its relationship with optical response. The results revealed statistically significant differences in gloss change among surface groups at all geometries. The matte white (melamine-faced) panel exhibited the highest gloss loss under both abrasion procedures, indicating lower resistance to microscratch-induced optical degradation compared to the other surface types. The findings also demonstrated that gloss change is strongly dependent on measurement geometry. In particular, the 85° geometry provided enhanced differentiation between surface groups, highlighting its sensitivity to surface matting and subtle optical alterations. Although identical nominal loads and rubbing cycles were applied, differences between Procedures A and B resulted in varying gloss change levels for certain surfaces, reflecting variations in abrasive contact conditions and assessment approaches. Regression analysis indicated that initial surface roughness alone does not fully explain the observed optical degradation behavior. Overall, the results show that the optical response of furniture surfaces to microscratch abrasion is governed by a complex interaction between surface roughness, coating characteristics, and measurement geometry. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of surface appearance durability and emphasizes the importance of a multi-parameter evaluation approach under standardized microscratch conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02439-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering of particleboards using bio-based modified starch as a sustainable alternative to conventional binders","authors":"Valentina Lo Giudice,&nbsp;Aleksander Hejna,&nbsp;Rupali Tiwari,&nbsp;Lukas Adamcik,&nbsp;Luigi Todaro,&nbsp;Michał Jakubowicz,&nbsp;Bartosz Gapiński,&nbsp;Patryk Mietliński,&nbsp;Paulina Kosmela,&nbsp;Lubos Kristak","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02429-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02429-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>As the wood-based panel sector seeks more resource-efficient and lower-emission products, underutilized lignocellulosic feedstocks and bio-based binders warrant systematic evaluation. This study investigated the structure and performance of single-layer particleboards (PBs) manufactured from <i>Citrus sinensis</i> L. and <i>Quercus cerris</i> L. particles using either 10% urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin or a hybrid binder containing 2% UF and 15% modified corn starch. Clear formulation-dependent differences were observed. Compared with oak-based PBs, orange-based PBs showed lower apparent density and generally inferior mechanical performance. These drawbacks were partly mitigated by using a mixed furnish containing 80% orange and 20% oak particles. The hybrid UF + MS system increased stiffness and internal bond to acceptable levels in some formulations, but modulus of rupture and water-related properties remained inferior to the UF reference. Complementary thermophysical, porosity-related, and surface-topography analyses showed that furnish composition affected internal structure and heat-transfer anisotropy, providing additional insight into structure-property relationships in the developed boards. Overall, UF-bonded PBs showed the best balance of properties and came closest to full compliance with the EN 312 requirements for P2 boards, whereas the hybrid UF + MS boards should be regarded as a promising but still preliminary route toward partial replacement of conventional binders. Further work should focus on optimizing adhesive formulation and pressing parameters and on extending application-oriented validation, including formaldehyde-emission assessment and other end-use-relevant performance tests, before broader practical recommendations are made.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02429-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative evaluation of non-destructive and CT-derived indicators for stiffness assessment of reclaimed Norway spruce timber","authors":"Johannes A. J. Huber,&nbsp;Tom Svilans,&nbsp;Maarja Kauniste,&nbsp;Niels H. Vonk,&nbsp;Olof Broman,&nbsp;Eero Tuhkanen,&nbsp;Wendy Wuyts,&nbsp;Alar Just,&nbsp;Martin Tamke,&nbsp;Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02433-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02433-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reliable evaluation of mechanical performance is a central constraint for structural reuse of reclaimed timber. This study provides a controlled comparative assessment of non-destructive indicators for piece-wise characterisation of reclaimed Norway spruce elements intended for reuse as glulam lamellas. Visual assessment, longitudinal dynamic excitation, and CT-derived modelling indicators were evaluated against global and zone-wise flatwise bending tests on 56 reclaimed beams from a single material stream with known species, cross-section, and initial strength class. Dynamic excitation provided the most reliable single predictor of global bending stiffness at specimen level. Visual assessment showed limited discriminatory power for this comparatively homogeneous material. CT-derived indicators based on density and orientation fields reproduced principal intra-member stiffness variations associated with knots and fibre disturbance and showed predictive capability of similar order to established mechanical non-destructive indicators. Systematic differences between methods were primarily attributable to moisture-state uncertainty, modelling assumptions, and the global nature of the mechanical reference tests. Strength-related results, based on a limited destructive subset, are interpreted as exploratory. Within these bounds, the study establishes a comparative reference dataset for multi-modal evaluation of reclaimed structural timber and demonstrates how conventional and volumetric indicators complement each other in resolving global stiffness and intra-member variability relevant to allocation in engineered wood products.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02433-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Technological properties and uses of wood from Paulownia fortunei and its hybrids: a systematic review","authors":"Camila Alves Corrêa,&nbsp;Alexsandro Bayestorff da Cunha,&nbsp;Samuel da Silva Santos,&nbsp;Tarcisio Francisco de Camargo,&nbsp;Taíse Mariano Rodrigues,&nbsp;Giovanna de Oliveira Souza,&nbsp;Lucas de Lima Ribeiro,&nbsp;Helena Cristina Vieira,&nbsp;Polliana D’Angelo Rios,&nbsp;Martha Andreia Brand","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02441-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02441-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Paulownia fortunei</i>, the species native to China, stands out as one of the fastest-growing trees in the world. Due to this characteristic and the wide variety of uses of its wood, its plantations, already significant in Asian countries, are expanding to other regions. The quality of the wood, determined by its anatomical, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, is fundamental to guiding its applications. Furthermore, its performance in processing operations, such as sawing, drying, and machining, is crucial for industrial use. This systematic review aimed to gather and analyze available studies on the properties of <i>P. fortunei</i> wood and its hybrids, its behavior in industrial processes, and its potential applications, with an emphasis on higher value-added solid products. The methodology was structured in three stages: (i) searching the selected databases based on the defined research questions and keywords; (ii) screening articles according to inclusion and exclusion criteria; and (iii) systematic analysis of eligible studies and synthesis of their main results. The studies analyzed demonstrate that <i>P. fortunei</i> wood has broad application potential, varying according to the cutting age, and that its low density is a central characteristic, favoring uses that demand lightness. However, a scarcity of research focused on processing stages was observed, especially sawing, machining, gluing, and the production of solid wood panels.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02441-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148172105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eucalyptus and Corymbia clones: effects of harvest age on wood quality for sustainable charcoal production","authors":"Angélica de Cássia Oliveira Carneiro,&nbsp;Sherellyn Daphnee Alves Moretti,&nbsp;Antonio José Vinha Zanuncio,&nbsp;Vinha Zanuncio,&nbsp;Bárbara Lôpo de Lima,&nbsp;Juliana Dias de Melo,&nbsp;Fernanda de Jesus Jorge,&nbsp;Mirella Silva Junqueira,&nbsp;Ana Marcia Macedo Ladeira Carvalho,&nbsp;Solange Oliveira Araújo,&nbsp;Amélia Guimarães Carvalho","doi":"10.1007/s00107-026-02432-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00107-026-02432-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The scarcity of information on the combined influence of harvest age and genetic material on the wood quality of <i>Eucalyptus</i> and <i>Corymbia</i> still limits the optimization of charcoal production for the Brazilian steel industry. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of harvest age on the quality of wood and charcoal produced from five genotypes, four Eucalyptus clones and one <i>Corymbia citriodora</i> × <i>C. torelliana</i> hybrid, at five, six, and seven years of age. Physical, anatomical, chemical and energy-related properties of the wood were characterized, in addition to muffle furnace carbonization tests. Increasing harvest age promoted higher basic density (from approximately 440 to 625 kg m^-3), a relative reduction in sapwood proportion, and lower ash content in both wood (~ 0.2–0.6%) and charcoal (~ 0.7–1.7%), enhancing energy performance and suitability for steelmaking applications. The <i>Corymbia citriodora</i> × <i>C. torelliana</i> hybrid stood out at earlier harvest ages due to its high wood density (&gt; 580 kg m^-3 at 5 years, reaching ~ 625 kg m^-3 at 7 years) and good charcoal quality, whereas tri-cross Eucalyptus clones met or exceeded the recommended industrial threshold (&gt; 500 kg m^-3) from six years onward. Wood higher heating value remained stable (19.0–20.0 MJ kg^-1), while energy density increased from approximately 8,400 to over 12,400 MJ m^-3 with age. Charcoal gravimetric yield remained stable (33–35%), and higher heating value ranged from 6360 to 7690 kcal kg⁻¹, with most values above the 7000 kcal kg^-1 threshold required for steelmaking. The combination of higher lignin content (25–32%), cellulose crystallinity (up to 79%), and basic density resulted in charcoals with high yield and heating value, while low nitrogen (0.04–0.09%) and absence of sulfur indicated a lower potential for atmospheric pollutant emissions. In terms of productivity, the Corymbia hybrid increased charcoal production from 5.5 to 10.7 t ha^-1 year^-1 between 5 and 7 years, outperforming Eucalyptus clones by up to 25%. These results demonstrate that the integrated selection of clone and harvest age is decisive for maximizing charcoal yield and quality, contributing to more efficient, competitive, and environmentally sustainable bioenergy production systems in the context of the national steel industry.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":550,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Wood and Wood Products","volume":"84 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00107-026-02432-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148173666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}