Abstract
Brazilian studies of a process that has been variously called in Portuguese retificação térmica, termorretificação (both with no English correspondent), tratamento térmico (thermal treatment), tratamento com calor (heat treatment) or modificação térmica (thermal modification) have been increasing since 2000. Because the standardization of concepts is important for the scientific development of any subject, the aim of this article was to provide a literature review about this process, to propose the most appropriate technical nomenclature for it in Portuguese, aiming at standardization. We reviewed articles about this process, published in 2015, in ten international scientific journals and seven Brazilian journals. We also verified a foreign textbook, the largest scientific event on the subject and information on European companies that have process patents and products on the market were also verified. Based on all the verified sources, it is recommended the technical nomenclature ‘modificação térmica’ (thermal modification) for the process and ‘modificada termicamente’ (thermally modified) for the wood/products. Technically, it is not wrong to use the terms ‘tratamento térmico’ (thermal treatment) and ‘tratada termicamente” (thermally treated) and their equivalents ‘tratamento com calor (heat treatment) and ‘tratada com calor’ (heat treated). However, in order to avoid errors of interpretation, these nomenclatures should be avoided because they are generic and traditionally used for the well-established process of artificial drying of wood. It is also strongly discouraged the use of ‘retificação térmica’ and ‘termorretificação’ as well as their derivatives ‘retificada termicamente’ and ‘termorretificada’.
Keywords:
Wood; Technical nomenclature; Thermal modification process