The Influence of Torrefaction on the Properties of Spruce (<em>Picea abies</em>) and Sycamore (<em>Acer platanoides</em>) Wood

The increase in demand for wood in recent times has led to the expansion of various treatments on it, in order to broaden the areas of use for the same wood species. In this sense, the torrefaction treatment of wood comes to complement the classic areas of use with new ones, through a reduced affinity for water and an increase in its durability, under conditions of unchanged or slightly reduced physical and mechanical properties. The paper aimed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of spruce and mountain maple wood that were torrefied at temperatures of 180ºC-200ºC for 1-3 hours, in comparison with the non-torrefied wood of these two wood species. The results obtained showed that torrefied wood has better properties in terms of water affinity and quite goof in terms of the analyzed mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, tensile strength parallel to the wood grain, static bending strength or Brinell hardness. The general conclusion of the paper shows that the two torrefied species have better properties than the non-torrefied ones, thus broadering their base of uses.