Diffusion of organic molecules through wood

The diffusion of alcohols, glycerol, phenol, formic, acetic and butyric acids through four species of Indian timbers in the water‐saturated condition has been studied and the results reported. In contrast to several inorganic ions, Fick's law is obeyed by the organic molecules in the concentrations studied. As is to be expected, the diffusion in the axial direction is several times that in the other directions. The speed of diffusion decreases rapidly with the molecular weight of the substance and the density of the wood. While in the case of the alcohols the logarithm of the diffusion constant varies as the molecular weight with the acids the diffusion constant is proportional to the molecular weight.