The objective of this study was to determine the decay resistance of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) treated with 5% and 10% concentration of various fire retardant (FR) chemicals. Experimental panels were produced using by melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resins having 10%, 15% and 20% of melamine content. MDF specimens were subjected to decay resistance test performed according to modified EN 113 standard method using white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor. It was found that the weight loss (%) of MDF specimens treated with chemicals were lower than those of control panels. Especially, the best results were obtained from MDF specimens treated with zinc borate (ZB). Furthermore, decay resistance of the MDF specimens improved with increasing melamine content in the MUF resin and increasing chemical concentration.

Download document (298 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document