Challenges and new developments in testing electro osmotic pulsing technology (PLEOT) by means of conventional laboratory methods

IRG/WP 11-40555

A Treu, E Larnøy

A new wood protection system, electro-osmotic pulsing technology, called PLEOT, is tested in lab trials using different test setup. The technology is tested on Scots pine sapwood and beech wood samples exposed to brown- and white rot fungi. Mass loss and moisture content is calculated after testing and a chitin analysis are performed on the sample powder. Two different electrodes are used in order to connect PLEOT to the wood samples. The results show that PLEOT fully protects Scots pine sapwood samples in a miniblock test exposed to Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor using conductive polymer as electrodes in laboratory trials. Scots pine sapwood samples connected by using carbon fiber electrodes show reduced mass loss after 16 weeks of exposure to both white- and brown rot when PLEOT is installed. The analysis of chitin after exposure to fungi verifies the results on mass loss. A comparable amount of chitin can be found in all three parts of PLEOT-protected and untreated wood samples. Fungal degradation after several weeks of colonization of untreated samples could be stopped in some cases Carbon fiber electrodes fail on several cases whereas the conductive polymer electrodes show good results and is going to be used in future trials. Wood moisture content is lower of PLEOT-protected wood samples after basidiomycete test compared to untreated samples. However, the wood moisture content of PLEOT-protected samples is not below an unfavorable amount for fungal attack.


Keywords: electro osmotic pulsing, wood protection, fungi test, PLEOT

Conference: 11-05-08/12 Queenstown, New Zealand


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