The work presented here deals with the microstructure characterization of wood
based panels, in particular of oriented strand board (OSB), particleboard (PB)
and medium density fiberboard (MDF). A non-destructive method, submicrometer
computed tomography (sub-μm-CT), was used in order to achieve
threedimensional image stacks of the panels investigated. Qualitatively it was
possible to differentiate between wood material and air in the panels. For quantitative
analysis some more appropriate steps in the microstructure determination
were necessary. With adequate image analysis tools it was possible to reduce
noise in the image stacks and to cut the image stacks to sub-volumes in
order to avoid edge effects. This enabled to differentiate between material and
void and to calculate the volume fraction of these phases. Additionally the virtual
data enable splitting of existing sub-volumes in the samples into smaller
and representative sub-volumes without destroying their edges by mechanical
cutting forces. In order to investigate the influence of microstructure parameters
on physical properties, e.g. the local density as determined using a conventional
x-ray method, the virtually cut sub-volumes were analyzed separately. Finally it
was possible to determine the pore size and the type of the pore size distribution.
Results of the analysis of the sub-volumes show good correlations between
local density and pore size.