Thermomechanical characteristics of plantation- grown rattan canes (Calamus merrillii Becc.)

Date

10-5-2009

Abstract

A thermomechanical analyzer was fabricated using a digital strain gauge able to detect deflection of down to 0.01 mm with steam as a heat source. Softening temperature plantation-grown rattan cane was measured. Likewise, the cell wall chemical components of the sample were determined using standard procedures used in wood. Softening temperature was about 80-85 Celsius and it was unaffected by the origin of the sample. The softening temperature is a critical state where in the material can be molded, change in shape without negatively affecting its mechanical attributes. Proving that plantation-grown canes have the same softening temperature as that of wild rattan canes shows that this material could be converted into furniture that are of the same quality as that of wild rattan canes. Therefore this shows usability of plantation-grown canes in the rattan furniture industry. The cell wall chemistry of the individual samples was more or less similar to other rattan canes. Relationship between these chemical constituents and softening temperature was not detected. This is probably due to the limitation of the fabricated thermomechanical analyzer. For the relationship to be observed, the device should be able to detect deflection down to the microstain level. However the fabricated device can only detect defection of up to 0.01 mm. Nonetheless, the device was able to determine the softening temperature of the material which is the most important output of this study.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Date Project Started:

3-2008

Date of Completion:

8-2009

Funding agency

UPLB Basic Research Program 88-D74-22

College

College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR)

Document Type

Terminal Report

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