Assessment of the biological durability of wood treated with organosilicon compounds

IRG/WP 16-30685

M Kutnik, M Montibus, S Derocker, S Salivati, J-P Lecomte

The European wood construction market is in need of environmentally friendly wood-based products whose service life meets the expectations of end users. Non-biocidal silicon-based water repellents, which can be applied to different materials, help minimize their vulnerability/susceptibility to liquid water. Consequently, they have the potential of increasing wood’s resistance against decay fungi by reducing their ability to absorb water. Moreover, by filling the pores of wood, they may reduce its vulnerability to wood-boring insects and thus improve its durability. In order to determine their suitability as wood protectors, three silicon-based water repellents were applied at different concentrations to samples of Scots pine, beech and oak. The application was either superficial (dipping) or by deep (vacuum impregnation). Durability tests were then performed in order to determine the resistance of the treated wood samples against moulds, blue stain and basidiomycete decay fungi, as well as against Reticulitermes subterranean termites. Additionally, eco-toxicological tests were run in order to select the product which had the least environmental impact. The results demonstrate that the three tested organosilicons exhibit different levels of toxicity and improvement of the resistance of the tested wood species against biological threats. The anti-fungal resistance is lower than that provided by traditional biocidal wood-preservatives, but it is still adequate in applications where short-to-average service-life is acceptable and where maintenance and/or replacement is possible. Termite behaviour and feeding preferences in situations where choosing between treated and untreated wood was possible demonstrated that insects tend to avoid consuming wood specimens impregnated with organosilicons. Wood-based materials with levels of biological resistance which are intermediate between wood’s natural (inherent) resistance and that improved with the help of biocides as well as wood-protection products and processes which allow reaching these levels should be appreciated more. They increase the range of possible end-uses for wooden commodities made of European non-durable wood species such as Scots pine and beech both with regard to the material’s properties and its expected performance.


Keywords: organosilicons, silicone, wood durability, moulds, blue stain, decay fungi, termites

Conference: 16-05-15/19 Lisbon, Portugal


Download document (489 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document