Analysis of Heat-Treated Taurus Cedar (Cedrus libani) Wood Surface Properties with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Contact Angle Measurement

OpenAlex İngilizce

This study examined the changes in the chemical properties of heat-treated cedar (Cedrus libani) wood as a function of four different treatment temperatures (120, 150, 180 and 210 °C) and three different treatment durations (2, 5 and 8 hours). Particular emphasis was placed on the changes observed in the 1740 cm-1 carbonyl absorption band in the FTIR spectra of the esterification reaction products, which occurred at 120, 180 and 210 °C for 2, 5 and 8 hours. Surface energies of the samples were also calculated using Young’s equation and contact angle measurements with three different liquids: water, glycerol, and hexane. Subsequently, the surface free energies were analyzed using the Lifshitz-van der Waals/acid-base (LW-AB) approach. FTIR analysis indicated that esterification reactions occurred more intensely at temperatures between 180 °C and 210 °C. Contact angle measurements revealed a decrease in polarity and a corresponding increase in non-polarity with increasing heat treatment temperature and duration. Free surface energy analysis demonstrated an increase in the LW component in cedar wood samples treated at 120, 180 and 210 °C for all treatment durations (2, 5 and 8 hours), indicating that surface modification had occurred. These results suggest an increase in nonpolar effects within the surface energy components of the samples, resulting in increased hydrophobicity.