Browsing by Author "Nefdt, Keenan Colin"

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    Improvement of the acoustic properties of tonewoods
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02) Nefdt, Keenan Colin; Meincken, Martina; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Forest and Wood Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work investigated different wood modification techniques to improve the acoustical properties of tonewoods, in particular the sound radiation ratio (R). The treatments used were heat-, fungal - and UV exposure, as well as immersion into NaOH and Na2SO3 solution and a combination of the most successful treatments. All initial experiments were performed on pine, before replicating the best performing treatment on spruce due to cost factors. The main objective was to reduce the hemicellulose content without severely degrading cellulose, which results in a reduction of density while maintaining, or even improving the elasticity (MOEL). The results indicated that it is possible to increase R and MOEL significantly with heat-, fungal – and sodium treatment. Overall, the combined heat-fungal and heat-sodium treatments performed the best and managed to increase R by up to 20 %. Sodium treatment led to the best increases in R, but compromised the wood structure and the treatment protocol needs to be developed further. Consequently, this study found the most successful wood treatment to be exposure to white rot combined with heat treatment.