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Forests
Volume 17
Issue 1
10.3390/f17010089
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Transforming Fast-Growing Wood into High-Strength Materials via Thermo-Mechanical Densification with Hydrothermal and Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment

by
Di Wu
1,
Duixin Ma
1,
Liqin Song
1,
Qiuping Wu
1,
Huayang Fang
1,
Hongli Liu
2,* and
Jianping Sun
1,*
1
School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
2
School of Fine Arts and Design, Hebei Minzu Normal University, Chengde 067000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2026, 17(1), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010089
Submission received: 5 December 2025 / Revised: 7 January 2026 / Accepted: 8 January 2026 / Published: 9 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Wood Science and Forest Products)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Thermally compressed fast-growing wood exhibits superior mechanical properties, presenting a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to solid wood. However, to prevent structural damage and achieve higher densification during this process, effective pretreatment is essential. This study systematically evaluates the efficacy of hydrothermal and alkaline sulfite pretreatments in modifying Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata Hook.) and poplar (Populus tomentosa Carr.). The resulting compressed wood was comprehensively characterized in terms of mass loss, mechanical strength, microstructure, chemical composition, and cellulose crystallinity. Results indicate that, under the conditions tested, alkaline sulfite pretreatment was more effective than hydrothermal pretreatment in enhancing the material properties of densified wood, with peak density, compressive strength, and hardness achieved after 5 h for fir and 3 h for poplar, respectively. The results obtained under the present experimental conditions support the fact that alkaline sulfite pretreatment is an effective approach for producing densified wood with enhanced mechanical properties, suggesting its potential suitability for higher-value applications.
Keywords: fast-growing wood; thermally compressed; alkaline sulfite pretreatment; hydrothermal pretreatment; mechanical performance fast-growing wood; thermally compressed; alkaline sulfite pretreatment; hydrothermal pretreatment; mechanical performance

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wu, D.; Ma, D.; Song, L.; Wu, Q.; Fang, H.; Liu, H.; Sun, J. Transforming Fast-Growing Wood into High-Strength Materials via Thermo-Mechanical Densification with Hydrothermal and Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment. Forests 2026, 17, 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010089

AMA Style

Wu D, Ma D, Song L, Wu Q, Fang H, Liu H, Sun J. Transforming Fast-Growing Wood into High-Strength Materials via Thermo-Mechanical Densification with Hydrothermal and Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment. Forests. 2026; 17(1):89. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010089

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wu, Di, Duixin Ma, Liqin Song, Qiuping Wu, Huayang Fang, Hongli Liu, and Jianping Sun. 2026. "Transforming Fast-Growing Wood into High-Strength Materials via Thermo-Mechanical Densification with Hydrothermal and Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment" Forests 17, no. 1: 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010089

APA Style

Wu, D., Ma, D., Song, L., Wu, Q., Fang, H., Liu, H., & Sun, J. (2026). Transforming Fast-Growing Wood into High-Strength Materials via Thermo-Mechanical Densification with Hydrothermal and Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment. Forests, 17(1), 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010089

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