Effects of microwave irradiation on bamboo cell wall structures were studied. Microwave treatment resulted in samples exhibiting smoother surfaces, deformed parenchyma cells, and increased porosity. Microwave treatment altered microfibril orientation through the formation of hydrogen bonds. The peak at 3440 cm-1, assigned to O-H stretching, decreased. Meanwhile, intermolecular and intramolecular bonds were formed, increasing the uniformity of microfibrils. Condensation reactions in surface hydroxyl groups and the formation of intramolecular hydroxyl groups in the amorphous region under microwave irradiation also improved the fiber arrangement uniformity. After treatment, the HCH and HOC bonds were reduced and the ester bonds were broken down. The methoxy and aromatic ring hydroxyl groups were oxidized, as indicated by the increase in the absorption peak at 148 ppm. The hydroxyl groups in the amorphous region near the fiber surface decreased, as did hemicellulose content, but there was an increase in secondary crystalline fibers.

In this paper, the technique of direct injection gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) was employed to discriminate between two batches of wood ( Phoebe zhennan and Machilus pingii) with characteristic smells. Based on the GC-MS fingerprints obtained, similarities between samples were evaluated via correlation coefficient, hierarchical clustering and characteristic constituents analysis. The results showed that distinct differences in total ion chromatograms existed between the two species of wood and their correlation coefficients were low; however, the relationship between the same species of different batches showed the opposite; meanwhile, the analysis of hierarchical clustering and characteristic constituents also demonstrated an interrelationship. All the analytical methods achieved the goal of identification between the two species of wood, which verified that the technique can be used to identify different species of wood with characteristic smells.

Hongmu is a type of material with strong corrosion resistance, and its extract has wood preservative properties in a variety of environmental settings. Herein, the processing residue of Dalbergia retusa was used to obtain an ethanol-extract, whose anti-fungal properties and mechanism was investigated using multi-omics principles and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results show that D. retusa extract had a strong inhibitory effect on decaying fungus, and the inhibitory effect was dose dependent. High-throughput sequencing detected a total of 11,755 genes for transcriptome comparison. A total of 390 genes were differentially expressed, with 69 up-regulated and 321 down-regulated genes, indicating that D. retusa extract can significantly affect metabolic processes in decaying fungus. GC-MS results revealed that D. retusa extract was rich in phenols, ketones, amines, and aromatic compounds, which are likely to contribute to the excellent synergy between anti-fungal properties and anti-fungal activity (anti-fungal ability and active ingredients). In summary, this study describes the anti-fungal components in D. retusa extract, and our results provide a foundation for the study of their mechanism of action in this tree species.

A systematic study was conducted on P. pubescens by analyzing thermal characteristics of its rhizome and culm (1.5 m) at different ages, using various analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry (TG). For both the rhizome and culm of P. pubescens, the relative crystallinity (Cr) of cellulose increased and then appreciably decreased with increasing age, but the rhizome contained about 10% less Cr than culm. However, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of culm (268.8 to 273.8 °C) was higher than in the rhizome (213.9 to 219.4 °C). The extrapolated initial decomposition temperature (Te) of 1-, 3-, and 5-year-old rhizome were 263.7 °C, 266.1 °C, and 263.9 °C, respectively; the Te of culms of the same age were 289.7 °C, 282.8 °C, and 283.4 °C, respectively. Variance analysis showed no significant differences in the Te of either rhizome or culm of different ages. Taking the chemical characteristics into consideration, it was concluded that the rhizome has a stable composition and good heat resistance.

An orthogonal design was used to optimize the process of making slim medium-density fiberboard modified by a nitrogen-phosphorous series of flame retardants. Mechanical performance was the evaluating criterion. Subsequently, the combustion performances of each type of flame retardant, including in states solid, liquid, and their combination with a ratio of 1:1, were investigated to clarify the corresponding fire-retardant mechanism. The results showed that only physical bonding was responsible for connecting the wood fiber with the retardants, according to the Fourier transform infrared spectrum. Catalytic charring, flame retardancy, and the thermal insulation of three types of retardant were solidified by the results of a cone calorimeter (CONE) analysis, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the mixture of solid and liquid was demonstrated as the primary choice. It was also found that after the mixture of the solid and liquid retardant was added, the limiting oxygen index of the board reached 43.3%, and it met the requirements of the B1 Class in the Chinese National Standard GB/T8624-2012 (2012).