Properties of the Oil Heat-Treated 10 and 15 Years-old Cultivated Tectona Grandis

Abstract

Ten (10) and fifteen (15) years-old cultivated Tectona grandis (teak) were oil heat-treated to studied their properties improvement. The middle portion of T. grandis was selected and treated at 160ºC, 200ºC, and 240ºC for 2 hours. The study investigated the effectiveness of treated and non-treated T. grandis based on their physical and mechanical properties. The physical tests performed included the moisture content, maximum density, basic density, and volumetric shrinkage. In the mechanical test, the strength in the static bending focused on the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR). The compression test carried out based on parallel to the grain (MOR) of the wood. The oil heat-treated T. grandis possess better physical properties than untreated wood, but their mechanical properties decrease slightly. Ten-year-old T. grandis shows better physical and mechanical properties than 15 year’s old T. grandis. The heartwood possesses an overall better physical and mechanical characteristic. Broadly, the oil-heat treatment improves cultivated teak properties and made it suitable for various high-value applications.