Effect of thermal rectification on colors of Eucalyptus Saligna and Pinus caribaea Woods

eucalyptus saligna and pinus caribaea var. hondurensis woods underwent a variety of thermal rectification treatments (from 120oc to 180oc) to evaluate the effect of heating on their colorimetric properties. the following color parameters were measured: lightness (l), a* coordinate (green-red coordinate), b* coordinate (blue-yellow coordinate), saturation (c), and tonality angle (h). this study demonstrates that thermal rectification can be regarded as a tool for adding value to wood through color modification by heating. results also suggest that thermal rectification might be a tool for homogenizing wood tonality and reddish color between species. both tested species have shown very distinct colorimetric behaviors as a function of thermal treatments. the conifer was more resistant to thermal darkening than the hardwood while exposed to temperatures below 160oc. the green-red coordinate (a*) and the tonality angle (h) tended to be homogenized for both species, as they decreased in eucalyptus, and increased in pinus, as a function of heating. the effect of wood heating on the blue-yellow coordinate (b*), saturation (c), and tonality angle (h) was likely to be opposite between both tested species.