[Histonet] (no subject)

[Hass Philipp]

Hello,

We are doing some investigations on glue-lines in wood. Our standard procedure so far is to boil the wood in water to soften it, produce microtome slices and stain them. However the boiling process might affect the condition of the adhesive and the wood itself. To avoid this effect, we want to survey little wooden cubes (untreated), where the investigated surface has only been smoothed with the microtome. To get a better contrast between the wood and the adhesive, we tried various staining methods (safranine, iodide-iodide-potassium, toluidine-blue), that have been mentioned in the literature. Anyway, the tests results were not satisfying. Not every part of the adhesive was dyed by the staining agent to the same degree making a determination of the adhesive penetration very difficult.

My question now is: Has anybody some experience with a dry sample preparation of wood or glue lines respectively? And has anybody some experience with the staining of wood or adhesive? 

The wood is beech; the adhesives are PUR, UF and PVAC.

Thanks,

Philipp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philipp Haß

Institute for Building Materials (Wood Physics)

ETH Zurich, HIF E 23.2

Schafmattstrasse 6

CH-8093 Zurich

Tel: (0041)-(0)44-632 32 50

Fax: (0041)-(0)44/632 11 74

phass <@t> ethz.ch