Wood is a raw material of vegetable origin, and is the main content of the trunk of a tree. It is a natural, strong and flexible material, consisting of cellulose fibres bound together with lignin.
Wood has an average composition of 50% carbon, 42% oxygen, 6% hydrogen and the remaining nitrogen and other elements. Its main components are cellulose (a structural polysaccharide made up of glucose), lignin (a polymer found in the cell walls of certain organisms) and hemicellulose (which binds the fibres together).
Characteristics of wood
The qualities of wood change depending on certain variables such as humidity, size or place of growth, but almost all woods have certain properties in common.
- It is a material that is thermally and electrically insulating.
- It transmits sound very well.
- It is biodegradable, ductile, recyclable and tough.
- Its density varies, but generally ranges from 500-800 kg/m³, although it can be lower or higher.
- Depending on its hardness it could be a softwood or hardwood.
Wood production
The production of wood would follow these steps:
- To begin with, the tree would be felled and pruned (branch cutting).
- Once felled, it is transported to the sawmill.
- Then the bark is removed (debarking) and the wood is cut into boards or planks (splitting).
- The wood is left to dry to reduce the amount of water it contains and thus avoid deformation.
- Finally, the irregularities are removed by planing.
Wood has many uses: construction of buildings, furniture, tables, it is used to make pulp to make paper...when used as fuel it is called firewood.
Wood recycling
The recycling of wood waste is very important to preserve our ecosystem. The process of recycling this material is easy and is one of the cleanest and most economical, as it does not require any chemical treatment before it can be recycled. Most wood waste comes from industry. Wood can only be recycled a limited number of times because its fibres degrade. Even so, if it is recycled as many times as possible, it is better than disposing of it in landfill.
When the wood arrives at the recycling plant, it is checked and its quality and type of wood is determined. In general, it is mixed with other waste that has to be separated and managed separately, such as metal components (nails, etc.). It is then shredded to obtain shavings or sawdust. At the end of the process, chipboard is obtained.
The other percentage of wood that cannot be effectively recycled has other functions, such as generating electricity or for composting.
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