Whats the chemichal composition of oak wood?

[ForumFire]

Whats the chemical composition of oak wood? I want to know because I am trying to cut wood by changing the chemical compound of the places that i want to cut it at by putting a chemical that would bond to the wood, and the new compund of my chemical and wood would be a gas.

I don't know if it would work or not, but i hope it would work kinda the same way as baking soda and vinegar combine and get changed, execpt the wood would be the "baking soda" and the special chemical would be the "vinegar"

 

[Borek]

Mainly cellulose. But I doubt you will find something that'll easily dissolve wood. See for example:

http://www.patents.com/Method-disso...esulting-cellulose-solutions/US4597798/en-US/

 

[jim mcnamara]

The main structure of wood cells is formed from cellulose. The cells are held together by lignin. If lignin is even partially removed the wood loses structural integrity and can be cut quickly or bent without breaking.

You should check out the concept of digestibility of lignin. Typically it is done with strong acids or sometimes a strong base. Heat can also affect lignin bonding - steam baths are used to heat wood so it can be bent.

Here is a paper on digesting lignin in softwoods and in Quercus (red oak sub-genus):
http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/36/4/768.pdf

For anything to do with wood engineering and chemistry always start here:
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/
check out the publications area

 

[chemisttree]

Whats the chemical composition of oak wood? I want to know because I am trying to cut wood by changing the chemical compound of the places that i want to cut it at by putting a chemical that would bond to the wood, and the new compund of my chemical and wood would be a gas.

You might try an oxygen lance. You apply the chemical (heated somewhat) to where you want to cut and a gas (largely CO2) is produced.