Juan Paredes
In my country (Honduras), for the farmers, the forest had been in problem because they have not directs from it. All years they destroyed it to convert it in agriculture field; is a tradition from Maya civilization. ‘”The forest is life”, the trees help us to keep water, animals, wood for ours home, and today with the high wood technology we have several goods from it. And every day we learn more and more about it, their benefits and potential goods that must be teach this discoveries to the next generations to protect the wood and rationally use it.
My Research
The general objective of this research is to investigate the influence of the hemicelluloses by hot water extraction on physical, mechanical, and adhesion properties of wood strand and the production of OSB panels from the modified wood. Determination of the chemical composition of the extracted compounds is the focus of a comparison study. Conversion of the extract to ethanol is not within the scope of this study.
In Other Words
The wood has sugars in its chemical composition and by fermentation (bacteria) is possible to convert the sugar to ethanol and the ethanol could be used as fuel in the cars or others motors. But when these sugars are removed from the wood this wood fragile itself. Then the main idea in this project is in `getting rid of this sugar from the wood of Orient Strand Board (OSB) without damaging the remaining solids by hot water. After sugar extraction the strength properties will be evaluated to determine the maximum percent of sugar that is possible to remove from the wood without decrease the properties of the wood.
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Contact Information
5793 AEWC Bldg., Room 225
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Phone:
Email: Juan.Paredes@umit.maine.edu