Non-destructive differentiation of treated and non-treated wood using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Abstract:
Wood is often processed using varnish or glaze on the surface. For a sustainable handling of the renewable material and a high material recycling rate, post consumer wood has to be sorted by post consumer wood categories. The non-destructive and automatable FD-FLIM method could improve this process. The fluorescence spectrum and the phase dependent fluorescence lifetime of larch and oak samples treated with acrylic coat and preservative glaze are determined and evaluated. The results demonstrate the different treated wood surfaces can be differentiated by their fluorescence lifetime at 405 nm and 445 nm excitation wavelengths.