Understanding the green method of using supercritical carbon dioxide in wood processing

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Abstract

With an increase in demand for infrastructure, the processing and development of wood used for construction continues to become prevalent. Continuing since the dawn of the industrial revolution, energy intensive processes are still being used to prepare wood for its eventual applications. Most commonly, kiln drying, which involves the use of a fuel source along with controlled temperature and humidity environments, resulting in the production of significant levels of greenhouse gases and waste products. With the world currently looking for greener and more environmentally friendly methods to perform tasks, researchers are looking into the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) as an alternative to the mainstream applicatory methods. This review focuses on the documented successful application of scCO 2 to perform dewatering and resin extraction of wood, while also highlighting the degree of greenness quantified using green score criteria. In comparison to kiln drying, this review documents the suitability of scCO 2 as an applicable method in industry due to being a less energy intensive approach, resulting in comparable outcomes of wood quality while being less harmful to our environment.

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