The invention relates to a process for treating a lignocellulosic material, preferably wood, comprising the following steps: (1) soaking of the material with organic fluid in order to dissolve at least 40% and at most 85%, in weight %, of the lignin of the material; (2) washing with organic fluid so as to discharge the dissolved lignin; (3) filling with a filling compound; and (4) finishing, so as to obtain a composite formed of a three-dimensional network of transformed filling compound incorporated into a cellulose and lignin network. The invention also relates to a composite structure able to be obtained in this way, and to any part comprising at least one such structure.

A super strong and tough densified wood structure is formed by subjecting a cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes lignin therefrom. The treated wood retains lumina of the natural wood, with cellulose nanofibers of cell walls being aligned. The treated wood is then pressed in a direction crossing the direction in which the lumina extend, such that the lumina collapse and any residual fluid within the wood is removed. As a result, the cell walls become entangled and hydrogen bonds are formed between adjacent cellulose nanofibers, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the wood among other mechanical properties. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the densified wood, it can be adapted to various applications.

The present disclosure relates to the field of perfumery. In particular, the present disclosure provides fragrance dispensing emanating substrate and related methods for dispensing fragrance oil or liquid fragrance material into an ambient environment.

Disclosed herein is a method of remediating chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated timber. Particularly, the method comprises contacting the CCA timber with an oxidative solvent and an acidic solvent which provides remediated timber and a variety of extracts containing amongst other things the metals of concern. One or more of the steps is conducted using continuous counter current extraction (CCE).

In some embodiments, a material comprises a contiguous block of chemically-modified wood infiltrated with an index-matching polymer. The contiguous block has a first section that is substantially transparent to light and a second section that is translucent or opaque. The first section can have a lower lignin content than the second section. Alternatively, the first section can have a chromophore state altered from that of the wood in its natural state, and the lignin in the second section can retain a chromophore state of the wood in its natural state. In some embodiments, a material comprises a section of wood chemically-modified such that chromophores of lignin within the wood in its natural state are altered or removed, and the section retains at least 70% of the lignin of the wood in its natural state. Methods for forming such materials are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a process for treating a lignocellulosic material, e.g., wood, comprising the following steps: providing a lignocellulosic material; removing at least some but less than all lignin from the lignocellulosic material to yield a delignified structure; and densifying the delignified structure to yield the delignified, densified material, wherein the delignified, densified material is equal in size or is smaller in size relative to the lignocellulosic material provided; where densifying may include contacting said delignified structure, at least in part, with at least one fluid at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The invention also relates to a composite structure able to be obtained in this way, and to any part comprising at least one such structure.

The present invention relates to the creation of thermally insulating materials derived from cellulosic materials by selectively depolymerizing the materials anatomy. Cellulosic materials may be comprised of three main biopolymers: lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. The present invention relates to the chemical and physical removal of lignin and hemicellulose, while leaving the cellulose unaltered to induce increased porosity within the material and the material’s macrostructure matrix for use as thermal and acoustic insulation. The increased porosity will be due to the creation of closed cell voids within the cellulosic matrix. These voids will increase the thermal and acoustic insulating performance of the cellulosic materials. The selective removal of secondary biopolymers from cellulosic materials allow for isolation of other value added products that can be regenerated through fewer reactions/steps. This is a novel advantage over other similar processes that dissolve cellulose completely, making it harder to extract and isolate secondary off-stream products.

A rotary separation devise deploys a drum with mesh like opening on the cylindrical surfaces and a removable cover or cap for filling in an upright position and removal of product or spent matter in an inverted position. When the drum is loaded with material, and the cover closed, it is rotatable to a horizontal position, and disposed in an outer container. The drum is rotated in the horizontal position to initiate the separation process. The outer container may be formed by the mating engagement at a common rim of an upper and lower vessel that form the sealed container.

A super strong and tough densified wood structure is formed by subjecting a cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes lignin therefrom. The treated wood retains lumina of the natural wood, with cellulose nanofibers of cell walls being aligned. The treated wood is then pressed in a direction crossing the direction in which the lumina extend, such that the lumina collapse and any residual fluid within the wood is removed. As a result, the cell walls become entangled and hydrogen bonds are formed between adjacent cellulose nanofibers, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the wood among other mechanical properties. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the densified wood, it can be adapted to various applications.

Methods and systems for recovering terpenes and controlling the composition of terpenes collected from wood drying processes are provided. In particular, a sorbent having adsorbed materials, including terpenes, from a wood drying process can be desorbed in a desorber, resulting in a gaseous stream containing terpenes, which can be condensed and collected from the gaseous stream. The conditions of desorption can be controlled to ensure a desirable amount of alpha-pinene and beta-pinene relative to other terpenes, such as dipentene and camphene, in the collected terpenes.