Melting Wood

[Letum]

Can you melt wood if you heat it in a environment with out Oxygen?
Will the Oxygen in the wood cells cause it to set on fire even with no oxygen in the atmosphere?
What is wood like melted/semi melted?
What is it like once it is solidified?
Any Pics?
Why am I asking this?

[Tchocky]

Well, the girlfriend won't be happy

[Letum]

Well, the girlfriend won't be happy
Any pics?
Why am I asking this?
...

[Tchocky]

Experiment: Melting Wood

Apparatus: Wood, Lighter

Ow.

Ow.

OW!

AARGH!

FFFFSSSSSSKKKKAAAAGGHHHG!!!

Ah!

Eh?

Ow!

Result: *wonders what Letum meant by "wood"*

[danlisa]

Ahhh, Google!

Excellent question! The answer is no. Even if there was no oxygen
present you could not melt wood. It would not burn but it would reach
a temperature at which the molecules started to break up into smaller
molecules -- eventually small enough molecules that they would evaporate
but they would not be wood any more. Some of the material would be
left as carbon.

However, a conflicting report:
.........It consists in rubbing the pieces of wood against each other and then applying pressure. To achieve this, a friction welding machine, which is usually employed to weld thermoplastic materials (notably in the automobile industry) is used. At the very high temperatures obtained by friction (more than 180°C), the lignin and hemicellulose which make up the cell walls of wood fibres, change their state and behaviour. The fibres "melt", intertwine and bond to each other under the effects of pressure, forming a joint at the contact surface between parts.......

http://www.international.inra.fr/press/like_metal_wood_can_melt_and_be_welded

:damn: Why did I even take the time to do this.

Ah yes, Neal please sound condition yellow.:D

[Letum]

Ahhh, Google!

Excellent question! The answer is no. Even if there was no oxygen
present you could not melt wood. It would not burn but it would reach
a temperature at which the molecules started to break up into smaller
molecules -- eventually small enough molecules that they would evaporate
but they would not be wood any more. Some of the material would be
left as carbon.

However, a conflicting report:
.........It consists in rubbing the pieces of wood against each other and then applying pressure. To achieve this, a friction welding machine, which is usually employed to weld thermoplastic materials (notably in the automobile industry) is used. At the very high temperatures obtained by friction (more than 180°C), the lignin and hemicellulose which make up the cell walls of wood fibres, change their state and behaviour. The fibres "melt", intertwine and bond to each other under the effects of pressure, forming a joint at the contact surface between parts.......
http://www.international.inra.fr/press/like_metal_wood_can_melt_and_be_welded

:damn: Why did I even take the time to do this.

Ah yes, Neal please sound condition yellow.:D


So there will be molecular breakdown like cooking a egg.

Once a raw egg cools you don't have a raw egg anymore, you have a cooked egg.
Once wood melts you dont have wood you have a chemical mix.

All the same, I really want to see the melted chemical mix that used to be wood!



As for friction welding: It sounds like a partial melt to me (below 1% melt) That would be enough to weld a material.

[The Avon Lady]

Can you melt wood if you heat it in a environment with out Oxygen?
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7/24825bpthesimpsonshomerbg6.jpg

[danlisa]

From what I can see, when wood is heated enough in a vacuum, it will not even display the usual signs of melting. i.e Solid, partial solid, liquid.

Instead it will just 'evaporate' and the only substance left would be carbon powder. Which as you might know has a much higher thermal threshold.

Of course, you must know this from school. How do you think fossil fuels are created? LOL, what we are talking about here is charcoal. (or just a bit further on from that.)

I can show you a picture of carbon in a powder form if you like.:p

[SUBMAN1]

Yeah, that is what I would guess too. Eventually you'd only be left with the carbon components.

-S

[Letum]

From what I can see, when wood is heated enough in a vacuum, it will not even display the usual signs of melting. i.e Solid, partial solid, liquid.

Instead it will just 'evaporate' and the only substance left would be carbon powder. Which as you might know has a much higher thermal threshold.

Of course, you must know this from school. How do you think fossil fuels are created? LOL, what we are talking about here is charcoal. (or just a bit further on from that.)

I can show you a picture of carbon in a powder form if you like.:p
Don't all solids become liquids before they become gases when gradually heated?

*edit* A pic of molten carbon would be acceptable.

[danlisa]

Don't all solids become liquids before they become gases when gradually heated?

No, you can get substances which turn from Solids to Gases instantly. Example - Dry Ice.

*edit* A pic of molten carbon would be acceptable.

Stop playing!:p

There's no such thing.:damn:
(well there is but it evaporates instantly)

[Letum]

Don't all solids become liquids before they become gases when gradually heated?
No, you can get substances which turn from Solids to Gases instantly. Example - Dry Ice.
Oh yes!
I wonder why that is!



*edit* A pic of molten carbon would be acceptable.
Stop playing!:p

There's no such thing.:damn:
(well there is but it evaporates instantly)
A pic of carbon "wood gas" then? ;)

How about a nice oak wood gas coffee table?

Edit: Whaddya know! Wood Gas! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas)

A car running on wood:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/99woodgas.jpg/800px-99woodgas.jpg

[Rilder]

Car running on wood, is this an appropriat time to put a

"FAPFAPFAP" comment?

or even a "FapFapFap VROOOOOOMMMM"

[The Avon Lady]

See wood gas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas).

Didn't the Russians try running trucks on wood during WWII, in places where there were severe fuel shortages?

[Letum]

See wood gas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas).

Didn't the Russians try running trucks on wood during WWII, in places where there were severe fuel shortages?

Sorry Avon!
beat ya to that link (see above) ;)

[Wim Libaers]

From what I can see, when wood is heated enough in a vacuum, it will not even display the usual signs of melting. i.e Solid, partial solid, liquid.

Instead it will just 'evaporate' and the only substance left would be carbon powder. Which as you might know has a much higher thermal threshold.

Of course, you must know this from school. How do you think fossil fuels are created? LOL, what we are talking about here is charcoal. (or just a bit further on from that.)

I can show you a picture of carbon in a powder form if you like.:p


If you heat wood like that, it will release volatile components (water, light hydrocarbons), and turn into charcoal. You may be able to get carbon powder (and ash) if you heat it for a very long time, but the normal result when heating until the outgassing becomes low, is a block of charcoal with the same shape as the wood you put in (but more brittle, therefore easy to turn into powder if desired).

(the difference between charcoal and carbon is that charcoal still contains some of the heavier hydrocarbons, and some ash)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal

[bookworm_020]

I can see the fuel economy sticker "Gets 100km per three cords of wood!":lol: