The Influence of Hydrogen Bonding in Wood and Its Modification Methods: A Review

Construction wood has a high economic value, and its construction waste also has multiple consumption values. Natural wood has many advantages, such as thermal, environmental, and esthetic properties; however, wood sourced from artificial fast-growing forests is found to be deficient in mechanical strength. This shortcoming makes it less competitive in certain applications, leading many markets to remain dominated by non-renewable materials. To address this issue, various modification methods have been explored, with a focus on enhancing the plasticity and strength of wood. Studies have shown that hydrogen bonds in the internal structure of wood have a significant impact on its operational performance. Whether it is organic modification, inorganic modification, or a combination thereof, these methods will lead to a change in the shape of the hydrogen bond network between the components of the wood or will affect the process of its breaking and recombination, while increasing the formation of hydrogen bonds and related molecular synergistic effects and improving the overall operational performance of the wood. These modification methods not only increase productivity and meet the needs of efficient use and sustainable environmental protection but also elevate the wood industry to a higher level of technological advancement. This paper reviews the role of hydrogen bonding in wood modification, summarizes the mechanisms by which organic, inorganic, and composite modification methods regulate hydrogen bond networks, discusses their impacts on wood mechanical properties, dimensional stability, and environmental sustainability, and provides an important resource for future research and development.