Radiometric Investigation of Water Vapour Movement in Wood-based Composites by Means of Cold and Thermal Neutrons

Wood-based composites are industrially produced panels made of resin-blended wood furnish material consolidated by hot pressing. Precise knowledge of the physical interrelations, such as heat and mass transfer induced densification and curing, are inevitable to control process performance and final product properties. Neutron radiography is able to distinguish between moisture and wood matter movement and thus to provide quantitative information considering the hot pressing process where only models exist. To this end, preliminary experiments were carried out utilising both cold and thermal neutrons to visualise and to quantify the water vapour movement within wood-based composites heated under sealing within a simplified mimicry of the hot pressing process conditions. Neutron radiography of this rather fast process was found to be feasible in general. The evaluation of the time-resolved image data maps the relative water content distribution within the sample during 9 min process time. A presumed wavefront-like vapour movement was confirmed. Hence, the results enhance the understanding of heat and mass transfer inside consolidated resin-blended wood furnish. These preliminary experiments prove neutron radiography as viable method for further comprehensive in-situ investigations of the hot pressing process of wood-based composites.