ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses characterization of chemically modified wood, especially physical characterization. It examines the molecular mobility of wood components in terms of various properties that were improved by treatment based on relaxational properties that depend on mobility of molecules and the interaction between molecules. The chapter also discusses the effects of various side chain factors on the mobility of wood component molecules and their mechanisms. The variation of wood with chemical modification should be caused by the number and nature of introduced side chains because the treatment is an introduction of new side chains into wood substance. The chapter also examines, on the basis of viscoelastic properties, the effects of both factors on the mobility of wood components molecules. Thermoplasticity of chemically modified wood is due to the bulky free volume, since the creation of the free volume enables flexible molecular motion such as softening or melting under appropriate conditions.
