Preliminary 1H NMR studyon waterlogged wood strengthened with Klucel

Abstract

Waterlogged woods from sea or lakes are very fragile because chemical, physical and biological decay. Wood artefacts, if directly dried in air, risk a structurally collapse and loss original form and dimension. The progressive substitution of water with suitable strengthening materials can preserve the characteristic of the wood finds. Among various natural and synthetic polymers suitable for this porpoise we have chosen aqueous solutions of Klucel (hydroxypropylcellulose), a polymer obtained from etherification of cellulose. This compound can interact with all the components of the wooden structure (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) and can cover the cavities by a protective and stabilizing film. In order to evaluate the performance of this polymer we have performed 1H-NMR measurements. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a totally non-destructive and non-invasive technique for wood and can provide images of the spatial distribution of liquid water confined in a porous material. In this work we have performed relaxation times measurements and images of waterlogged wood strengthened with Klucel in different conditions and some preliminary results are report showing how in the sample of treated wood there is a totally absence of water inside the sample.