Wood Science and Forest Products Research Division was organized in 1981 to develop basic and applied research in various aspects of wood and paper science and technology. The division intends to apply different techniques for better industrial utilization of natural resources both on wood and non-wood materials in order to eliminate over-utilization of Caspian Forests.

The main objectives of this division are: to characterize woods of different species in terms of their structure and best usage; to determine how Iranian wood should be sawn, dried and establish methods for preservation of different woods; to determine how forests, mills and agricultural residues can be used in wood and paper industries to develop improved processes of pulping of wood and other lignocellulose materials; and to assess the potential of different sources of raw materials for pulp and paper, composite, particleboard, fiberboard etc. manufactures.

Wood and paper Research Division is organized into four specialized research groups as follows:

1- Wood and Forest products Physics and Mechanics Research Group
2- Industries Development and Wood Composite Research Group
3- Wood Modification and Wood Preservation Research Group
4- Wood chemistry, Pulp and Paper Research Group

This research group consists of two sub groups:

1.1 Wood Biology and Anatomy
This sub group concentrates on basic research for the better understanding of basic and inherent characteristic and quality of wood and non-wood raw material in order to provide essential and basic data and information for further applied research.
This sub group is equipped with projection microscopes, which connect to computerized program for scanning and metering, microtom, as well as other related research equipment.

1.2 Wood Physics And Wood Mechanics
Investigation on mechanical properties of wood and non-wood based material is conducted at this sub group which operates one Instron universal testing machine model 1186 and also impact bending testing machines well as other required accessories.

A view of Wood and Forest product Physics and Mechanics Research Group lab.

model PW5 instron. Microcomputers are also utilized at this sub group for data processing.

This group is involved in basic and applied research in the field of wood technology and process development and modification in wood based material industries such as particleboard, MDF, fiberboard, wood fiber/polymer composites, veneer, plywood, OSB, wood cement board and laminated wood product.
This group is equipped with modern laboratory and pilot plant equipment such as: Pullman drum chipper, Pullman ring flaker, rotary flake dryer, blender, hydraulic press, circular and band saws, and testing and other related equipment.
 

3- Wood Modification and Wood Preservation Research Group

Due to the lack of people understanding and employment of wood preservation and drying methods, considerable volume of wood  is  destroyed at various stage of processing and utilization. Thus, implementation  of  modern  methods and  system  of wood protection is a prerequisite to better utilization of our wood resources in order to be able to provide basic data and methods in this important aspect of wood utilization. This  research group was organized. Pilot plant scale kiln dryer and also employment of wood-impregnation pilot plant are available.

A view of Wood Modification and Wood Preservation Research Group lab.
 

4- Wood chemistry, Pulp and Paper Research Group

This group is concentrated on basic and applied research and process development and modification for pulp & paper industries for better utilization of wood and non-wood plant resources in paper production. This group is also involved in products development and standardization for the Iranian pulp & paper industries.

pulp & paper research lab.

This research group is operating modern laboratory and pilot plant equipment such as: four cylinder rotating digester, 10 liter circulation digester, atmospheric 8 inch disc refiner, PFI mill, freeness tester, hand sheet maker, sheet press, sheet dryer, complete wood chemistry laboratory, and testing equipment.

Publication

The results of the research outputs of the wood and paper science division have been published since 1996 in a special series entitled “ The Iranian Journal of Wood and Paper Research” twenty volumes has been published covering a total of 120 articles.