Abstract: A method of microwave treatment of wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 12% for rapid drying and stress relief which includes determining an area of the wood that is not to be treated, selectively subjecting a surface of the wood outside said determined area to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz to provide a modified wood zone having increased permeability relative to the untreated wood, wherein said zone is located in an exterior shell of the wood and has wooden rays directed from the core of the wood to the irradiated surface.

Abstract: A method of microwave treatment of wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 12% for rapid drying and stress relief which includes determining an area of the wood that is not to be treated, selectively subjecting a surface of the wood outside said determined area to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz to provide a modified wood zone having increased permeability relative to the untreated wood, wherein said zone is located in an exterior shell of the wood and has wooden rays directed from the core of the wood to the irradiated surface.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a modified wood product, the process comprising: modifying moist wood by subjecting the wood to microwave radiation having a microwave energy of from 100 to 4000 joules/cm3 and a frequency (f) of from 0.1 to 10 GHz for a period of from 0.1 to 100 seconds to form a plurality of cavities disposed in radial-longitudinal planes of the wood, at least some of the cavities being interconnected by channels in the radial, tangential and/or longitudinal directions of the wood, drying the modified wood; impregnating the modified wood with an adhesive component; and applying pressure to the impregnated wood to at least partially close the cavities and channels formed during the modification step and to adhere wood fibres with the adhesive component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of wood, and is particularly concerned with a method for increasing the permeability of wood, especially moist wood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of wood, and is particularly concerned with a method for increasing the permeability of wood, especially moist wood.

Abstract: A method for increasing the permeability of wood which comprises subjecting wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 15% to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz with a power intensity (p) from about 10 W/cm2 to about 100 kW/cm2 for a duration of from about 0.05 to about 600 seconds to cause water in the wood to vaporise resulting in an internal pressure in the wood such that the permeability of the wood is increased by partial or complete destruction of ray cell tissue, softening and displacement of wood resin, formation of pathways in the radial direction of the wood and/or by creating, on the base of destroyed rays, cavities in the wood, said cavities being primarily in radial-longitudinal planes of the wood, and wherein the overall integrity of the wood is substantially maintained. A wood-based material may be formed having a permeability which is at least 5 times that of the untreated wood.