Characterization of zinc borate synthesized in laboratory and scaled-up study

The organic nature of wood makes it vulnerable to both abiotic and biotic degradation. Impregnation with chemical products is a widely used method for wood protection. Inorganic borates exhibit a unique combination of properties that make them particularly effective for this purpose: they are insecticidal, fungicidal, and flame-retardant. In this study, ammoniacal zinc borate synthesized in laboratory-scale and scaled-up were compared using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis and particle size distribution. Their effectiveness as fungicides when applied to wood was also evaluated. Some of the samples were subjected to leaching, as it is one of the most common problems with inorganic borates. All samples were tested against rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum and Trametes versicolor. The results suggest differences in performance between laboratory-scale and scaled-up zinc borates is minimal. The effectiveness of scaling up was compromised by increased leaching. Results point to the importance of optimizing synthesis conditions to maintain the protective properties of zinc borate in practical applications.