Abstract

In 1628, the Swedish warship Vasa capsized on her maiden voyage and sank in the Stockholm harbor. The ship was recovered in 1961 and, after polyethylene glycol (PEG) impregnation, it was displayed in the Vasa museum. Chemical investigations of the Vasa were undertaken in 2000, and extensive holocellulose degradation was reported at numerous locations in the hull. We have now studied the longitudinal tensile strength of Vasa oak as a function of distance from the surface. The PEG-content, wood density, and cellulose microfibril angle were determined. The molar mass distribution of holocellulose was determined as well as the acid and iron content. A good correlation was found between the tensile strength of the Vasa oak and the average molecular weight of the holocellulose, where the load bearing cellulose microfibril is the critical constituent The mean, tensile strength is reduced by approximately 40%, and the most affected areas show a reduction of up to 80%. A methodology is,, developed where variations in density, cellulose microfibril angle, and PEG content are taken into account, so that. cell wall effects can be evaluated in wood samples with different rate of impregnation and morphologies.

Published in

Biomacromolecules
2012, Volume: 13, number: 8, pages: 2521-2527
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC

SLU Authors

• Almkvist, Gunnar

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Materials Chemistry
Wood Science
Polymer Chemistry


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/bm3007456

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/39865