Cellulosic and lignocellulosic structural materials and methods and systems for manufacturing such materials
AssigneeXyleco, Inc.
InventorMarshall Medoff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of treating wood and wood products include irradiating untreated wood having a first molecular weight with ionizing radiation to cause an increase in the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight.
Claims7
A method of treating wood, the method comprising:
- irradiating untreated wood, in the form of sawn lumber or a finished wood product, with electron beam radiation or gamma radiation, the wood having a first molecular weight and a moisture content of less than about 35% by weight with at least 0.25 to about 2.5 MRad of radiation having an energy of from about 2.5 MeV to about 7.5 MeV to increase the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight at least about 10% higher than the first weight.
A wood product formed by irradiating untreated wood, in the form of sawn lumber or a finished wood product, the wood having a first molecular weight and a moisture content of less than about 35% by weight with at least 0.25 to about 2.5 MRad of radiation having an energy of from about 2.5 MeV to about 7.5 MeV to increase the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight at least about 10% higher than the first weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.