Transforming Wood into a High-Performance Engineering Material via Cellulose Nanocrystal Impregnation

The demand for wood in construction has led to shortages of strong wood types, causing a shift to costlier alternatives like concrete and nonbiodegradable materials, prompting the investigation of modifying softwoods for better engineering properties. This study investigates the optimization of a multistep impregnation process utilizing functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (f-CNCs) to enhance softwood properties. The process involves alkali delignification, ultrasonication, and vacuum pressure treatment to improve wood porosity and in turn improve CNC impregnation with uniform dispersion. Microstructural analyses through field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) offer detailed insights into cell wall morphology and surface topography, whereas Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy highlights compositional shifts resulting from f-CNC impregnation. Mechanical testing demonstrates significant improvements for treated woods, particularly a 67 percent increase in modulus of elasticity for the 2 percent CNC-treated group compared with the control group; a 71 percent increase in modulus of rupture was observed for 2 percent CNC-, 3 percent NaOH-, and 2 percent acetic acid-treated group compared with the control sample. The sample delignified with 3 percent NaOH and impregnated by 2 percent f-CNC emerged as particularly effective. This research sets the stage for potential advancements in strengthening softwood using CNC, including a novel AFM method and alternative impregnation techniques like the Lowry method, inviting further exploration.