Wood Science & Technology Laboratory
Last changed: 25 January 2023
Infrastructure for fundamental and applied research on wood and fiber (ultra)structure, properties, and advanced wood- and fiber-based products.
Research infrastructure of key importance includes facilities for electron microscopy (TEM/SEM) including advanced EM preparative facilities for biological samples, wet and dry automated particle size analysis, laboratory drying kiln, cold and hot impregnation systems for industrial and laboratory treatments, fungal testing (i.e. durability), PCR, extensive fungal herbarium, wood adhesives testing, manufacturing of wood composites, mechanical testing of bio-materials, chemical laboratory with HPLC, TGA, DSC, rheology and spectroscopy, and 4 outdoor test sites in Sweden and the tropics. The laboratory is accredited by SWEDAC according to ISO 17 025 standard and offers durability testing and development of formulations for wood protection and modification as well as chemical characterization and mechanical testing of bio-materials. The above facilities are available for research (fundamental/applied) and pilot-scale development, industrial cooperation and undergraduate and post-graduate education.
Electron microscope unit
Electron microscopy unit for the preparation and processing of biomaterials for scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microsopy (TEM).
The electron microscope infrastructure consists of TEMs (Philips TEM CM12, FEI-Tecnai T20), SEMs (Philips XL30, Hitachi S-4500) and a range of conventional and more advanced preparation equipment (gold coaters, critical point dryer, freeze fracture, high pressure freezing, ultramicrotomes). The unit has been built up over last 25 years via competitive grants from FORMAS, VINNOVA, Wallenberg and industry.
We provide help to scientists within/outside of SLU with interest to use the
technique through collaboration and/or consulting. The infrastructure has no financial support for instrument service or technical help from SLU and thus must take a service charge for use. While the infrastructure has its focus on wood and fibre ultrastructure, the nature of the technique makes them highly applicable for all types of life and physical science applications.
The infrastructure forms part of Uppsala Electron Microscope network which includes Uppsala University CEMPEG (Geology); Microscopy unit at EBC (Evolution Biology); EM-Unit at Medical Cell Biology, BMC (Cell Biology); Physical Chemistry – BMC; Analysis Laboratory at Ångström Laboratory and, SciLifeLab/BioVisplatform. (http://www2.teknik.uu.se/unem/). The network carries out an annual PhD course on TEM/SEM which includes both practical and theoretical aspects of electron microscopy.
Contact: Geoffrey Daniel
Adhesives and Wood composites unit
Unit for preparation and testing of wood adhesives, and lab-scale manufacturing of wood-based panels (particleboards, fibreboards, OSB, plywood, gypsum and cement boards).
Testing of wood adhesives is possible as there is availability of all the basic instruments, i.e. rheometer, viscosity and geltiming, pH meter, dispersers, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Automated Bonding Evaluation System (ABES), spectroscopic analysis (FTIR, UV, fluorescence), and bond strength evaluation in low (< 1 kN) and higher ranges.
Processing and analysis of wood and other biomass materials is done with hammer mill, chip classifier, ultrasonic sieving, and static and automated wet and dry fibre and particle analysis.
Different raw materials are used for making laboratory wood-based panels. For glue spaying with commercial and bio-based adhesive systems, we use a Lödige FM 130 D glue blender. A Hobart 30 L is used for mixing with inorganic binders, such as gypsum or cement. For pressing, we operate a Joos Laboratory Press LAP 200. End products are tested according to standards for their physical and mechanical properties: GreCon X-ray density profile analyser, NDT acoustic system BING, ACUPRO acoustic impedance system, MTS Criterion® Series 40 Electromechanical Universal Test System 1-10-100 kN, IMAL water bath for swelling tests, creep stage in a climate chamber, etc.
The infrastructure forms part of Treesearch.
Contact: Stergios Adamopoulos
Equipment at Wood Science & Technology Laboratory
Anemometer
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Anemometer (lufthastighetsgivare). |
0-20 m/s |
± 0.1 m/s
|
Balance Mettler
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Balance Mettler |
Max: 8100 g |
± 0.1 g (0-8100 g) |
|
Balance Mettler |
Max: 80/400 g |
± 0.001 g (0-80 g) ± 0.01 g (80-400g) |
Balance Sauter
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Balance Sauter |
Max: 120 kg |
± 0.002 kg (0-120 kg) |
Climate chamber for timber
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Climate chamber for timber |
Volume 35 m3 Temp. 25˚C, RH 70% |
± 2°C ± 5% RH |
Climate chambers for wood samples, fungal growth, etc.
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Climate chambers for wood samples, fungal growth, etc.
|
Climate 1 temp. 15˚C Cilmate 2 temp. 25˚C, RH 70% |
± 0.2°C (15-25°C) |
Drying ovens
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Three drying ovens |
Volume ca. 0.2, 0.3 and 0.8 m3 Temperature 20-120°C |
± 1°C (15-105°C) |
Digital termometer Testo
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Digital termometer Testo |
Temperature 20-120°C |
± 0.2°C (15-105°C) |
DSC 3 STARe system
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
| DSC 3 STARe system Metler Toledo, with Huber TC45 cooling system | -30 to 500 C | Thermal analyses of materials |
Hitachi Chromaster
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Hitachi Chromaster HPLC with DAD and ELSD90 detectors nParker domnick hunter N2 generator |
Oven temperature up 85 C | ELSD 90: sugar & other molecules analysis; DAD: biocides and other molecules with chromophores |
Hitachi F-7000 Fluorescence spectrophotometer
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
| Hitachi F-7000 Fluorescence spectrophotometer |
Measuring wavelength range: 200 to 750 nm |
Wavelength scan, 3-dimentional scan measurement, photometry mode |
Hitachi U-2910 UV spectrophotometer
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
| Hitachi U-2910 UV spectrophotometer |
Scanning :190 to 1100 nm |
Wavelength scan |
Impregnation autoclave
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
ESSVERK |
Volume ca. 2 m3 Pressure 0-15 bar Vacuum 0-95% |
For vacuum-pressure impregnation of materials with water-based formulations |
|
ESSVERK |
Volume ca. 10 dm3 Pressure 0-10 bar Vacuum 0-95% Temperature 20-160°C |
For vacuum-pressure impregnation of materials with oil-based formulations |
Microwave treatment line
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Microwave treatment line Muegge |
2 magnetrons Power 2 × 30 kW Frequency 2.45 GHz |
For treatment of bio-materials with microwaves |
PerkinElmer Spectrum
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
PerkinElmer Spectrum two FTIR spectrometer with ATR |
Reflection and transmission mode | Used for every day analyses of chemicals, biomaterials |
pH meter phenomenal
| Model | Capacity | Notes, measuring uncertainty |
| pH meter phenomenal pH 1000L | -2 to 20 | pH of solutions |
Sterilisation autoclaves
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
2 sterilisation autoclaves |
Volume ca. 0.35 m3 Pressure 0-1 bar Temperature 20-120°C |
For sterilization of materials for biological tests |
Tunnel for aging of wood samples
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Tunnel for aging of wood samples |
Volume ca. 1.8 m3 Air velocity 1 m/s Temperature 20-40°C |
± 2°C ± 0.1 m/s |
Universal testing machine
|
Model |
Capacity |
Notes, measuring uncertainty |
|
Shimadzu AG-X |
Max force 50 000 N |
For testing of a number of wood mechanical properties |
