{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/78206"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/78206","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Adhesion Fundamentals in Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora)","abstract":"The goal of this project was to advance adhesion science and technology related to the Australian hardwood spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora). Plantation-grown spotted gum exhibits poor adhesion properties in comparison with similar woods, such as Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana). To better understand adhesion differences between these two woods, this research compared and contrasted the surface chemistries of plantation-grown spotted gum and Gympie messmate with a particular focus on sensitivity to thermal deactivation. Wetting measurements were performed using the sessile drop method. Initial and equilibrium contact angles, time-dependent wetting, and surface energy were determined. Time-dependent wetting and equilibrium contact angles were most informative. Initial contact angles and surface energy calculated with them were misleading and often generated anomalous results. Heating water-saturated wood to mild surface temperatures (105 deg C, directly after evaporative cooling) severely deactivated spotted gum but not Gympie messmate. This suggests conventional kiln drying appears unsuitable for spotted gum while amenable for Gympie messmate. Spotted gum likely requires non-aqueous, low surface tension adhesives or aqueous adhesives formulated with surface active wetting agents. Water-saturation (followed by room-temperature vacuum drying) substantially altered the surface chemistries of both woods, making them more hydrophilic. Consequently, the question was raised of whether a water-spray onto the wood surface prior to adhesive application could improve bonding. If so, this simple, industrially-feasible treatment could prove very beneficial to the wood composites industry. Water-saturation also revealed differences in the two wood's water permeability, which has implications for adhesive penetration and wood drying and may additionally help explain adhesion differences. Analysis of the plantation-grown heartwood (inner, middle, and outer heartwood regions) revealed significant wetting differences on spotted gum with only minor differences on Gympie messmate. The Australian woods were compared to two North American woods-loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Examining water wetting measurements, the Australian and North American woods exhibited some interesting similarities. However, methylene iodide wetting measurements revealed that the Australian woods were quite different from the North American samples studied here.","abstract_html":"The goal of this project was to advance adhesion science and technology related to the Australian hardwood spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora). Plantation-grown spotted gum exhibits poor adhesion properties in comparison with similar woods, such as Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana). To better understand adhesion differences between these two woods, this research compared and contrasted the surface chemistries of plantation-grown spotted gum and Gympie messmate with a particular focus on sensitivity to thermal deactivation. Wetting measurements were performed using the sessile drop method. Initial and equilibrium contact angles, time-dependent wetting, and surface energy were determined. Time-dependent wetting and equilibrium contact angles were most informative. Initial contact angles and surface energy calculated with them were misleading and often generated anomalous results. Heating water-saturated wood to mild surface temperatures (105 deg C, directly after evaporative cooling) severely deactivated spotted gum but not Gympie messmate. This suggests conventional kiln drying appears unsuitable for spotted gum while amenable for Gympie messmate. Spotted gum likely requires non-aqueous, low surface tension adhesives or aqueous adhesives formulated with surface active wetting agents. Water-saturation (followed by room-temperature vacuum drying) substantially altered the surface chemistries of both woods, making them more hydrophilic. Consequently, the question was raised of whether a water-spray onto the wood surface prior to adhesive application could improve bonding. If so, this simple, industrially-feasible treatment could prove very beneficial to the wood composites industry. Water-saturation also revealed differences in the two wood's water permeability, which has implications for adhesive penetration and wood drying and may additionally help explain adhesion differences. Analysis of the plantation-grown heartwood (inner, middle, and outer heartwood regions) revealed significant wetting differences on spotted gum with only minor differences on Gympie messmate. The Australian woods were compared to two North American woods-loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Examining water wetting measurements, the Australian and North American woods exhibited some interesting similarities. However, methylene iodide wetting measurements revealed that the Australian woods were quite different from the North American samples studied here.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Burch, Coleman Patrick"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Forest Products","degree_department":"Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Frazier, Charles E."],"committee_members":["Zink-Sharp, Audrey G.","Roman, Maren"],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-12-23","date_published":"2015-12-23","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:01Z","subjects":["Surface energy","thermal deactivation","wetting","Wood"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:6837"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:6837","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78206","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Frazier, Charles E."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Zink-Sharp, Audrey G.","Roman, Maren"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Burch, Coleman Patrick"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2017-06-16T06:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-06-16T06:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2015-12-23"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Forest Products"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Surface energy","thermal deactivation","wetting","Wood"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:6837"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78206"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The goal of this project was to advance adhesion science and technology related to the Australian hardwood spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora). Plantation-grown spotted gum exhibits poor adhesion properties in comparison with similar woods, such as Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana). To better understand adhesion differences between these two woods, this research compared and contrasted the surface chemistries of plantation-grown spotted gum and Gympie messmate with a particular focus on sensitivity to thermal deactivation. Wetting measurements were performed using the sessile drop method. Initial and equilibrium contact angles, time-dependent wetting, and surface energy were determined. Time-dependent wetting and equilibrium contact angles were most informative. Initial contact angles and surface energy calculated with them were misleading and often generated anomalous results. Heating water-saturated wood to mild surface temperatures (105 deg C, directly after evaporative cooling) severely deactivated spotted gum but not Gympie messmate. This suggests conventional kiln drying appears unsuitable for spotted gum while amenable for Gympie messmate. Spotted gum likely requires non-aqueous, low surface tension adhesives or aqueous adhesives formulated with surface active wetting agents. Water-saturation (followed by room-temperature vacuum drying) substantially altered the surface chemistries of both woods, making them more hydrophilic. Consequently, the question was raised of whether a water-spray onto the wood surface prior to adhesive application could improve bonding. If so, this simple, industrially-feasible treatment could prove very beneficial to the wood composites industry. Water-saturation also revealed differences in the two wood's water permeability, which has implications for adhesive penetration and wood drying and may additionally help explain adhesion differences. Analysis of the plantation-grown heartwood (inner, middle, and outer heartwood regions) revealed significant wetting differences on spotted gum with only minor differences on Gympie messmate. The Australian woods were compared to two North American woods-loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Examining water wetting measurements, the Australian and North American woods exhibited some interesting similarities. However, methylene iodide wetting measurements revealed that the Australian woods were quite different from the North American samples studied here."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Adhesion Fundamentals in Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora)"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Frazier, Charles E."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Zink-Sharp, Audrey G.","Roman, Maren"],"dc:contributor.department":["Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation"],"dc:creator":["Burch, Coleman Patrick"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2017-06-16T06:00:14Z"],"dc:date.available":["2017-06-16T06:00:14Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2015-12-23"],"dc:description.abstract":["The goal of this project was to advance adhesion science and technology related to the Australian hardwood spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora). Plantation-grown spotted gum exhibits poor adhesion properties in comparison with similar woods, such as Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana). To better understand adhesion differences between these two woods, this research compared and contrasted the surface chemistries of plantation-grown spotted gum and Gympie messmate with a particular focus on sensitivity to thermal deactivation. Wetting measurements were performed using the sessile drop method. Initial and equilibrium contact angles, time-dependent wetting, and surface energy were determined. Time-dependent wetting and equilibrium contact angles were most informative. Initial contact angles and surface energy calculated with them were misleading and often generated anomalous results. Heating water-saturated wood to mild surface temperatures (105 deg C, directly after evaporative cooling) severely deactivated spotted gum but not Gympie messmate. This suggests conventional kiln drying appears unsuitable for spotted gum while amenable for Gympie messmate. Spotted gum likely requires non-aqueous, low surface tension adhesives or aqueous adhesives formulated with surface active wetting agents. Water-saturation (followed by room-temperature vacuum drying) substantially altered the surface chemistries of both woods, making them more hydrophilic. Consequently, the question was raised of whether a water-spray onto the wood surface prior to adhesive application could improve bonding. If so, this simple, industrially-feasible treatment could prove very beneficial to the wood composites industry. Water-saturation also revealed differences in the two wood's water permeability, which has implications for adhesive penetration and wood drying and may additionally help explain adhesion differences. Analysis of the plantation-grown heartwood (inner, middle, and outer heartwood regions) revealed significant wetting differences on spotted gum with only minor differences on Gympie messmate. The Australian woods were compared to two North American woods-loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Examining water wetting measurements, the Australian and North American woods exhibited some interesting similarities. However, methylene iodide wetting measurements revealed that the Australian woods were quite different from the North American samples studied here."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:6837"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78206"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Surface energy","thermal deactivation","wetting","Wood"],"dc:title":["Adhesion Fundamentals in Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora)"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Forest Products"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:01Z"}