Desorption isotherms of heavy (AZOBE, EBONY) and light heavyweight tropical woods (IROKO, SAPELLI) of Cameroon

This work is centered on the study of the desorption isotherms of heavy (Azobe, Ebony) and heavyweight (Iroko, Sapelli) tropical woods, which contribute in the determination of drying and storage of tropical plank woods. Desorption isotherms of tropical woods were experimentally determined under different temperatures in this study using the gravimetric method. The determination of Henderson's model isotherms parameters of desorption were obtained for temperatures of 20 degrees C, 30 degrees C, 40 degrees C, and 50 degrees C. The mean relative deviation between theoretical and experimental moisture contents was calculated and fitted well with the desorption models of tropical woods. We noticed that Henderson models fitted much better with experimental ones for 95% of relative humidity. The sigmoid shapes of results are satisfactory. Hysteresis phenomenon was observed for desorption isotherms of heavy (Azobe, Ebony) and heavyweight (Iroko, Sapelli) tropical woods. Results showed the difference between the stability and use of heavy and heavyweight tropical wood. These results help in the estimation of water content at equilibrium of tropical woods in relative humidity from experimented ones. Hygroscopic equilibrium humidity of heavy tropical woods varied between 0% and 50% while those of heavyweight varied between 0% and 25%. Therefore, these woods can be used in an opened environment; woodwork and decoration.