Beyond solid fuel: Exploring the multifaceted properties of wood and bark, Monotes africanus from the Miombo Forest

• Monotes africanus is characterized by low ash, high HHV and fixed carbon values, confirming the traditional used for energy purposes • The presence of high extractives content and their composition make them suitable for a wide range of applications • Compounds with high antioxidant activity favors their use for biomedical industry • Wood and bark feedstock can be deconstructed to favor a wider valorization of the polymers Monotes africanus is a hardwood species common in miombo woodlands, and it is traditionally used for charcoal and fuelwood production. Nevertheless, besides its traditional use, little was known about the anatomy, chemistry, and thermal properties of its wood and bark, which were analyzed here for the first time. The anatomy revealed that wood and bark are composed of very thick and highly lignified cells, which guarantee the species considerable hardness and durability. Chemically, the wood had less ash (0.49% vs . 2.0%), extractives (6.1% vs . 22.6%), and more polysaccharides (57.2% vs . 42.1%) than bark. The lignin content was similar in both fractions, at 30.7% and 30.6%, respectively. Wood had the highest S/G ratio compared to bark (1.2 vs . 0.8), with an H:G:S relation of 1:46:53 and 1:56:43, respectively. Fatty acids, sterols, and terpenes are the main families of lipophilic components. The ethanol-water extracts of wood and bark are rich in phenolics, 444.3 and 412.2 mg gallic acid/g extract; flavonoids, 145.9 and 125.3 mg catechin/g extract; tannins, 140.5 and 62.7 mg catechin/g extract, respectively. The antioxidant activity in FRAP was 2.8 and 1.7 mM TEAC/g extract, presenting very strong antioxidant activity in wood (AAI > 2), as evaluated by the DPPH assay. In terms of energy potential, wood and bark presented higher fixed carbon (82.3% and 76.7%) with higher HHV (19.4 MJ/kg and 19.2 MJ/kg, respectively). Wood and bark from M. africanus exhibit chemical, thermal and phytochemical characteristics, indicating potential as a source of bioactive compounds and energy.