Response relationships between the color parameters and chemical compositions of heat-treated wood

Abstract The magnitudes of the color changes in heat-treated wood are closely related to the chemical composition of the wood, and changes in the chemical composition are the essential reasons for changes in the mechanical properties of heat-treated wood. The response relationships among the color parameters of heat-treated wood and the chemical composition were constructed to provide a scientific basis for regulating the mechanical properties with the color. The effects and linear correlations of the lightness indicators (L*) for poplar (Populus tomentosa Carr.) and spruce (Picea asperata Mast.) after heat treatment were related to the chemical compositions of the heat-treated woods by constructing relationships between the L* values. The relative content of cellulose in the heat-treated poplar downward trend and was significantly positively correlated with the L* value; however, the correlation with the L* value for the heat-treated spruce was insignificant. The L* value of the heat-treated wood was significantly positively correlated with the relative contents of hemicellulose, and was significantly negatively correlated with lignin. The L* value of the heat-treated wood had a superior response relationship with the crystallite sizes. Therefore, the constructed response relationship provides a theoretical basis for accurate and nondestructive testing of the mechanical properties of heat-treated wood by using the color parameters as rapid detection indicators.