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Wood furfurylation process and properties of furfurylated wood
2004 - IRG/WP 04-40289
The first processes for “furfurylation” of wood (wood modification with furfuryl alcohol) were developed several decades ago. Furfuryl alcohol is a renewable chemical since it is derived from furfural, which is produced from hydrolysed biomass waste. Over the last decade modernised processes for furfurylation of wood have been developed. These new processes are based on new catalytic systems a...
M Westin, S Lande, M Schneider


Durability of pine modified by 9 different methods
2004 - IRG/WP 04-40288
The decay resistance was studied for pine modified by nine methods of wood modification: 1) Acetylation, 2) Treatment with methylated melamine resin (MMF), 3) Acetylation followed by post-treatment with MMF-resin, 4) Thermal modification, 5) Furfurylation, 6) Maleoylation (using water solution of MG or ethanol solution of maleic anhydride), 7) Succinylation, 8) NMA-modification and 9) modification...
M Westin, A O Rapp, T Nilsson


Test Methods – Performance Based Requirements
2004 - IRG/WP 04-20297
In this paper is briefly described the present approach to service life prediction as an essential part of the architectural engineering process. The system of testing the durability of wood is described more in detail including laboratory tests as well as field trials. It is concluded that the system has a lot of weaknesses which makes it less well suited for practical building applications. A le...
M-L Edlund, F Englund, J Jermer, T Nilsson, M Westin, K Ödeen


Worldwide in-ground stake test of acetylated composite boards
1997 - IRG/WP 97-40088
Acetylated wood composite stakes are being tested in ground contact (graveyard test) in seven fields around the world. Three types of acetylated wood composites were prepared: spruce fiberboard in Sweden, aspen fiberboard in Madison and rubber wood particle board in Indonesia. Two levels of acetylation were used, a high level of ~20% acetyl content and a low level of 10% acetyl content. Control bo...
R M Rowell, B S Dawson, Y S Hadi, D D Nicholas, T Nilsson, D V Plackett, R Simonson, M Westin


Field Trials with mini-stakes
2002 - IRG/WP 02-20244
In 1995 an extensive field test program with wood mini-stakes, 8 x 20 x 200 mm, was started. In these trials a large number of parameters are being evaluated, including several new wood preservatives, differently chemically modified woods and natural durability of various wood species. The test sites are three fields in Sweden for in-ground and “close to ground” testing, one subterranean termi...
M Westin, A O Rapp, Y S Hadi, T Nilsson


New ways of chemical wood preservation
1997 - IRG/WP 97-40087
Synergistic effects pertaining to wood preservation have been investigated by combining different polymerizing agents with modifying chemicals, modifying chemicals with known preservatives and new types of preservative chemicals with each other. One of the investigated methods is the use of impregnating solutions based on furfuryl alcohol (produced from biomass), in which the chemicals polymerizes...
M Westin, T Nilsson, B Ohlsson, R Simonson


Wood plastic composites from modified wood; Part 1 - Conceptual idea, mechanical and physical properties
2006 - IRG/WP 06-40338
Wood plastic composites, WPCs, are rapidly taking shares from preservative treated wood on the decking market. However, the long term performance of the WPC products in this application is uncertain. Therefore, in an attempt to increase the long term performance and durability, the substitution of the unmodified wood component with modified wood has been studied in the work presented in this paper...
P Larsson Brelid, B K Segerholm, M Westin, M E P Wålinder


Furfurylated wood - An alternative to Preservative-treated wood
2006 - IRG/WP 06-40349
Chemically modified wood is currently being marketed as a non-toxic alternative to traditional preservative treated wood (wood impregnated with biocides). Over the last decade the authors have developed modernised processes for wood modified by furfurylation. These new systems do not add metals or halogens to the product, which is important for an environmentally acceptable product. This presentat...
S Lande, M H Schneider, M Westin, J Phillips


Wood plastic composites from modified wood. Part 2 - Durability in laboratory decay tests
2006 - IRG/WP 06-40353
The decay resistance of wood plastic composites, WPCs, was tested according to modified versions of AWPA E10 (soil-block test) and ENV 807 (tests in three un-sterile soils, terrestrial microcosms, TMCs). The WPC materials were conically extruded profiles with 30% polypropylene content. The 70% wood content was untreated Scots pine sapwood, acetylated pine and heat treated Norway spruce, respective...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid, M L Edlund, G Alfredsen


Marine Borer Resistance of Modified Wood - Results from Seven Years in Field
2007 - IRG/WP 07-40375
Wood modified by several methods has been tested for seven years in a marine field with high marine borer activity. Several wood modification methods were included, e.g. thermal modification (with different processes), acetylation, maleoylation, succinylation, furfurylation, treatment with methylated melamine resin and modification with reactive linseed oil derivative. Furthermore, some combinatio...
M Westin, A O Rapp, T Nilsson


Wood furfurylation process development. Part 1: Oscillating Pressure Method
2007 - IRG/WP 07-40376
Furfurylated wood (wood modified by furfuryl alcohol) has over the last years gained marked shares from both tropical wood and conventional preservative treated wood and this has, in turn, generated several research projects concerning process development. The impregnation of spruce is well known from literature to be a difficult task. Furthermore, the sapwood of Scandinavian-grown Scots pine is a...
E Larnøy, M Westin, B Källander, S Lande


Wood furfurylation process development. Part 2: Lowry impregnation trials
2007 - IRG/WP 07-40377
The objective was to evaluate whether Lowry-impregnation of Scots pine with FA100-mix, instead of the FA40-mix, would lead to similar or slightly higher WPGs and to investigate any potential changes in penetration pattern. The results indicate that the penetration was better, also penetrating the outer zone of the heartwood. Furthermore, it was possible to reduce the WPG-levels for pine down to 50...
M Westin, E Larnøy, S Lande


Wood plastic composites from modified wood. Part 3. Durability of WPCs with bioderived matrix
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40423
The decay resistance of fully bio-derived wood plastic composites, WPCs, was tested in both laboratory and field tests. The laboratory tests were performed according to modified versions of AWPA E10 (soil-block test) and ENV 807 (tests in three un-sterile soils) and the field tests according to EN 252 (stakes in ground) and EN 275 (resistance to marine borers). The WPC materials for laboratory tes...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid, B K Segerholm, M Van den Oever


Ecotoxicity of furfurylated wood – Effect of leachate on aquatic bacteria
2008 - IRG/WP 08-50250
Environmental concern regarding the use of toxic preservatives such as CCA (chromated copper arsenate) has been put forward. In the EU, USA and Japan, CCA is now phased out for residential use and for use in water contact. Several ecotoxicological studies of wood treated with conventional preservatives were carried out in the late 1990s. In these studies it was concluded that the main impact is to...
A Pilgård, M Westin


Field trials of wood preservatives in UC3 retention. Part 1. Durability results after 13 years in and above ground
2010 - IRG/WP 10-30548
In 1996 an extensive field trial program was set up in order to obtain more data on wood treated with chromium and arsenic free preservatives in Use Class 3 retention. Apart from durability in and above ground, other features were also assessed, e.g. discoloration by staining fungi, depletion of active ingredients, weathering and corrosion of fasteners in con¬tact with the treated wood. Wood spec...
M Westin, J Jermer, M-L Edlund, P Larsson Brelid, I Johansson


Biological degradation of acetylated wood after 18 years in ground contact and 10 years in marine water
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40522
This paper addresses the resistance to biological degradation of acetylated wood. Firstly, it presents results from an EN 252 test after 18 years’ exposure. The test is still running in Nordic NWPC test fields, Simlångsdalen in Sweden and Viikki in Finland. Results from this test were presented after 5 years’ exposure ( IRG/WP 97-30139), and showed that the resistance of acetylated wood wit...
P Larsson Brelid, M Westin


Molecular investigation of Postia placenta growing in modified wood
2011 - IRG/WP 11-10756
Brown rot is the most common and destructive type of fungal decay for wood in service. These fungi depolymerize preferentially the structural carbohydrates, cellulose and hemicellulose in the cell wall leaving oxidized lignin behind. Modified wood can provide protection against a variety of wood deteriorating organisms, including decay fungi. However, there is still little known about the mode of ...
B Schmöllerl, G Alfredsen, C G Fossdal, M Westin, A Steitz


Service life prediction of wooden components - Part 3: Approaching a comprehensive test methodology
2011 - IRG/WP 11-20464
This paper is the third in a series on 'service life prediction' of wooden components and should be considered as a discussion paper. The authors tried to analyze the topic with a look from a distance and comment sometimes with a smile on the current controversial discussion about SLP issues. Nevertheless, the viewpoints of different groups, such as natural scientists, engineers, approva...
C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, L Meyer, T Bornemann, P Larsson Brelid, A Pilgård, E Frühwald-Hansson, M Westin, A O Rapp, S Thelandersson, J Jermer


Methods of field data evaluation - time versus reliability
2011 - IRG/WP 11-20466
Field testing of wood and wood-based products is so far the most reliable way to get information on performance with respect to durability and expected service life. However, field trials are extremely time and cost consuming. The main objective of the present study was to investigate possible correlations between early stages of decay, preferably during the first 5 years, and the actual service l...
P Larsson Brelid, C Brischke, A O Rapp, M Hansson, M Westin, J Jermer, A Pilgård


Durability of modified wood in UC3 and UC4. Results from lab tests and 5 years testing in 3 fields
2011 - IRG/WP 11-40562
In 2005 an extensive test program including field tests was set up in order to obtain more data on the durability and long term performance of modified wood and semi-durable wood species. One of the main challenges for modified wood is to predict accurate service life time in UC3 (use class 3, above ground) and UC4 (use class 4, in soil or fresh water contact). So far, data from in-service condi...
M Westin, G Alfredsen


Durability of Furfurylated Wood – Results from Laboratory and Field Tests in the Ecobinders project
2012 - IRG/WP 12-40602
Within the EU project Ecobinders, laboratory tests were performed with furfurylated wood produced in semi-industrial scale in the factory of Kebony ASA. Field trials in Horizontal double layer decks and in-ground of transmission poles were also started. Four wood species, Southern yellow pine (SYP), maple, beech and aspen were treated to two treatment levels by using two impregnating liquids with ...
M Westin


Report on COST E37 Round Robin Tests – Comparison of results from laboratory and field tests
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20535
A round robin involving 15 European participants was set up in 2006. The round robin consists of both a field test according to the double layer test method and a laboratory test with two different preconditioning methods. When comparing EN 84 preconditioning (two weeks water leaching) with natural preconditioning (1 year in field, above ground) according to CEN/TS 15397, no significant difference...
M Westin, E Conti, J Creemers, P-O Flæte, A Gellerich, I Irbe, M Klamer, B Mazela, E Melcher, R Möller, L Nunes, S Palanti, L Reinprecht, E Suttie, H Viitanen


Marine Borer Resistance of Acetylated and Furfurylated Wood – Results from up to 16 years of Field Exposure
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40756
Furfurylated and acetylated Scots pine sapwood has been tested since 1999 in a marine field with high marine borer activity. In 2004, two test groups with acetylated southern yellow pine (product later known as Perennial Wood™) were put out and over the whole test period differently furfurylated wood (later marketed as Kebony®) test groups have been started. Furthermore, some combinations of mo...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid, T Nilsson, A O Rapp, J P Dickerson, S Lande, S Cragg


10 year Report on COST E37 Round Robin Tests – Comparison of results from laboratory and field tests
2017 - IRG/WP 17-30718
A round robin involving 15 European participants was set up in 2006. The round robin consisted of both a field test according to the double layer test method and a laboratory test with two different preconditioning methods. The laboratory test results were reported in an earlier IRG paper (IRG/WP13-20535) but are included also in this paper in order to facilitate the comparison with the field test...
M Westin, E Conti, J Creemers, P-O Flæte, A Gellerich, I Irbe, M Klamer, E Melcher, R Moeller, L Nunes, S Palanti, L Reinprecht, E Suttie, H Viitanen


Hibernation or spring awakening? – The research on wood durability and protection in marine environment
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10929
Wooden structures in marine applications are exposed to severe degradation conditions caused by mechanical loads and wood degrading organisms. The present paper presents the use of wood in marine environments in Europe from a wood protection perspective and gives an overview over relevant research topics. It compiles the most relevant literature with an emphasis on new wood protection methods and ...
A Treu, K Zimmer, C Brischke, E Larnøy, L R Gobakken, F Aloui, S M Cragg, P-O Flæte, M Humar, M Westin


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