A brief overview on the development of wood research
Carsten Mai, Uwe Schmitt, Peter Niemz
Abstract
Abstract Wood science covers in particular the areas of the formation and composition as well as the chemical, biological and physical-mechanical properties of wood. First comprehensive studies have already been published in the last century. Detailed knowledge of wood is required for the processing of wood, the production of wood-based materials, and the utilization of wood and wood-based materials as buildings and various other products such as furniture. This review gives a brief overview on the progress in wood chemistry, wood biology (including photosynthesis and biodeterioration), and physical-mechanical properties of wood and wood-based materials. These fundamentals are also essential for understanding technological processes and product development.