Causes of the Water Resistance of Welded Joints of Paduk Wood (Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub.)
Résumé
Linear vibration welding of extractive rich Paduk wood from central Africa containing a high proportion of a native mixture of water-insoluble extractives, or of low water solubility, has been shown to yield joints of much upgraded water resistance. This has been shown to be due to the protecting influence the extractives from the wood itself has on the welded interphase, due to their inherent water repellence. Joints of unusually high percentage wood failure but modest strength were obtained; Paduk wood brittleness apparently yielding weld line strengths always higher than that of the surrounding wood itself. This indicated that Paduk wood welded joints present enhanced weather exposure durability in relation to welded joints using other species of wood.