Changes in Populus sp. wood subjected to heat treatment: anatomy and silica content

Heat treatment of wood is a widely used process in the timber industry, particularly in European countries, involving controlled high temperatures to improve the physical and chemical properties of wood. This study analyzes the effects of heat treatment on the anatomy (fiber lumen and vessel diameter) and silica content of Populus deltoides wood (“Stoneville 67”), cultivated in Junín, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microphotographs reveal an increase in fiber collapse with rising temperature (from 80 to 200 °C) and exposure time (from 60 to 120 minutes). Treatment at 200 °C for 60 minutes shows a notable increase in silica content (from 0.3% to 0.53%), which may positively influence the surface hardness of poplar wood, resulting in an improvement in this property.