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Synthetic Oxalate/ß-glucan Fungal Extracellular Matrix Demonstrates Potential Inhibition of Extracellular Enzyme Diffusion into Wood Cell Walls, and Calls into Question the Role of Enzymes in Wood Decay
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11053
ß-glucan is the major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of many fungi, including wood degrading fungi. Many of these species also secrete oxalate into the ECM. Our research demonstrates that ß-glucan forms a novel, previously unreported, hydrogel at room temperature with oxalate. This finding better explains the gel-like nature of the fungal ECM. Oxalate, at relatively low levels, was ...
B Goodell, G A Tompsett, G Perez-Gonzalez, K Mastalerz, M Timko


DURALARCH – Suitability of selected coloured coniferous heartwoods of different origin for their use in outdoor applications
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11064
For outdoor above-ground applications with high demands on biological durability, there are only a few softwoods available that also have high density and strength characteristics. One of the most important timbers with these material properties is Siberian larch (Larix sibirica, Larix gmelinii), which is available in sufficient quantities due to its large distribution area. Imports of Siberian la...
C Brischke, J Appelt, G Koch, S Majer, M Nopens, R Stirling, D Wong


Natural and enhanced durability of wood exposed above ground
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11079
Understanding and predicting the durability of wood is essential for ensuring its effective use, long-term reliability, and sustainability in various applications. To address this need, the "Wood Above Ground" project was initiated in 1999 at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to investigate the natural durability of wood species under a wide range of above-ground exposure scenarios. This ex...
R Digaitis, J Stenbaek, A W Christof, N Morsing, B Lindegaard


Functionalization of wood with nano-sized titanium dioxide – Efficacy against mould growth and effect on cell wall integrity
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20740
Nano-sized titanium dioxide (nano TiO2) is a photocatalytic compound that generates reactive radicals under UV radiation, which can inhibit microbial growth and impart self-cleaning properties. This effect has been widely utilised on materials such as glass or tiles. This study investigates the potential of nano TiO2 treatments to prevent mould growth on wood and their impact on cell wall integrit...
U Hundhausen, S Bollmus, L Ross


Citric acid/urea derivatives as an anti-discolouration treatment for wood surfaces
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20741
The exterior-use wood faces raining and sunlight exposure, which can cause property changes of the wood, such as the discolouration, dimensional instability, and biological attack. This article explores the use of citric acid and urea as surface protection of wood. The heating of citric acid and urea can result in the fluorescent carbon dots. These carbon dots can absorb UV light with the emission...
C-F Lin, O Myronycheva, D Jones, O Karlsson


Are we barking up the right tree? - the use of bark residues in wood protection
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20742
Tree bark, a lignocellulosic side-stream, is typically underutilised, often combusted or landfilled, thus contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. This communication paper explores the potential of bark residues, particularly suberinic acid, tannins and other polyphenols, in wood protection applications, including coatings, adhesives, and fire retardants. Several European projects have been initi...
A Treu, M Altgen, M Sipponen, M Borrega


CIOL Wood - Scientific Innovations in Wood Modification for Enhanced Performance and Usage
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20743
CIOL® is a wood modification technology designed as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional wood preservatives. Utilising a biobased formulation based on sorbitol and citric acid, CIOL® enhances wood's chemical structure, improving its durability, stability, and resistance to decay. This paper provides an overview of the advancements made in CIOL® technology, including its improv...
E Larnøy, A Treu, M Diraison, M Smith, A Audouin, P T Lewandowski, J Biørnstad


Sustainable and environmentally friendly bio-based protection against fire
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20756
Flame-retardant agents are used to confer fire resistant properties with effects strongly dependent on their ability to form char during the thermal degradation. The char coats the polymeric materials and provides a good barrier against heat and oxygen diffusion, thus reducing the combustion rate of the polymeric materials. Halogenated agents that are used today are toxic and may cause severe heal...
M Tanase-Opedal, A Larsson, P O Flaete


Novel treatments of solid wood - studies into the use of imidazole and succinimide
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30817
Recent activities have focussed on the use of ionic liquids (ILs) in wood treatments and bioprocessing. Most ILs are based on imidazolium systems, so it was decided to investigate the potential of imidazole as a treatment, along with another heterocyclic compound, namely succinimide. Thus, modification of Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) with heterocyclic compounds, imidazole and succinimi...
D Jones, A Scharf, H Dernegård, J Oja, S Duarte, J Levanić, M Humar


Modification of Beech Wood by Furfurylation with Chestnut (Castanea sativa) or Acacia (Acacia mearnsii) Tannins for Protection Against Subterranean Termites
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30832
Environmental concerns about tropical deforestation have emphasised the need to source wood from sustainably managed forests. At the same time, competition from alternative materials has amplified the demand for high-quality wood-based products that meet contemporary expectations. To date, most preservative treatments have involved impregnating wood with biocides, often derived from petrochemicals...
J V Dorini-Falavinha, K Candelier, P H Gonzales De Cademartori, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


Evaluation of oak bark extracts as bio-based preservative agents in wood protection
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30833
Bark represents a major by-product of the forestry sector and is often referred to low value uses such as combustion for energy, soil mulching or animal bedding. Nevertheless, bark contains a wide array of bioactive constituents, offering considerable potential for transformation into value-added wood protection agents. Developing sustainable wood treatments based on these natural compounds aligns...
R Herrera, A Selmanovic, F Poohphajai, C Peña, A Sandak


Performance Verification of Water-Based Outdoor Wood Protection Coatings Based on Weather Resistance Evaluation
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41015
Recent trends in wood protective coatings: Concerns over volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and the need to reduce maintenance costs have increased demand for environmentally friendly and highly durable coatings. While conventional solvent-based paints are superior in durability, they have been associated with problems such as environmental impact and odour during application. As an alterna...
N Ikemoto


AI Models for Accelerating Wood Protection Testing: Development of Predictive Tools Based on Long-Term Field Test Data
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41023
In this study, we present the development of DecAI, an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to optimise and accelerate performance evaluations of wood protection products in the European EN 330:2014 "Field test: L-joint method." The Danish Technological Institute (DTI) compiled a dataset of over 100,000 data points from approx.10,000 L-joint samples collected over +15 years at field sites i...
J Stenbaek, B Noufel, L Glade, P Bisgaard


Investigation of the Correlation between Blue-Light and Transparent Wood and Its Impact on Eye cells
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41042
The widespread use of LED blue light (400–480 nm) in modern life has raised concerns due to its potential risks to eye health, including retinal cell damage and vision degradation. Transparent wood, a renewable material with unique optical properties and environmental benefits, shows promising potential for blue light protection applications. This study investigates the modulation of lignin cont...
J-Y Jiang, C W Lin, P-Y Kuo


Towards Sustainable Wood Protection: PF resins-impregnated Paper Honeycombs and the role of Processing Parameters analysis by Response Surface Methodology
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41045
Honeycomb paperboard is an important wood-derived product and also an emerging new material to combine with wood panels. It is commonly applied as cushioning materials with excellent mechanical performance, and high demands in packaging market. The aims of this study were to enhance the durability of honeycomb paperboard using PF resins of various molecular weights (Mw 200, Mw 500, Mw 700), partic...
Y-C Wu, P-Y Kuo


Migration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from creosote-treated Douglas-fir and southern pine posts in the first 12 months since installation
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50404
Creosote is a widely used industrial wood preservative largely used for infrastructure-related applications such as utility poles, railway ties, and in marine pilings for protection against fungi, insects, and marine wood borers. Creosote is a coal tar distillate consisting of a complex mixture of organic compounds that together function as a biocide. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are th...
K Quigley, G Presley


A Study on the Damage and Conservation of Wood in Dense Areas of Wooden Buildings
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50412
One of the key threats to timber buildings in large parts of the world is the risk for damage by termites. Therefore, effective preservation strategies need to be developed. The study presented here is focussing on the current condition of wooden houses in the Seocho area, a densely built wooden residential area in Jongno-gu in Seoul, Korea. This study has been conducted to explore the proactive a...
N-C Ko, Y-J Lee, H-D Kim


Wood Protection in the Tropics: A Necessity in the Face of Climate Change and Rising Demand for Wood Products Consumption
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50413
With the rising demand for forest products due to population growth and continuous expansion of tropical countries’ economies. Therefore, the need for judicious use of forest products in the advent of climate change to meet the needs of the people cannot be downplayed but serve as a clarion call to conserve and improve the use of forest products for longer services. My talk will highlight the st...
M Nurudeen Iddrisu


Valorisation of bark extractives for wood and plant protection: the Extrabark project
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50415
The Extrabark project is an Interreg collaborative project between Lorraine in France, Wallonia in Belgium, the Saarland in Germany and Luxembourg. The objectives of the project are to develop a complete value chain of valorisation of bark generated by wood industry via the utilization of extracts or molecules for the protection of plants and wood material as a bio-sourced alternative to petrochem...
P Gérardin, C Gérardin-Charbonnier, S Dumarçay, F Obounou Akong, E Fredon, R Martha, J V Dorini Falavinha, W Donck, Z Nys, A Lepretre, L Taguimjeu, M-L Fauconnier, J Renaut, K Sergeant, S Saker, E Strilin, J Tchoumtchoua, M C Detroz, G Beauchamp


Probing nanoscale protection mechanisms with x-rays and neutrons
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11083
While it is known that exposing wood to high levels of moisture, fire, or decay agents such as fungi can be detrimental for its performance, what is often missing in literature is a holistic understanding of how wood nanostructure changes due to these exposures. This is of particular interest since treatments that are meant to impart resistance can alter these length scales and/or modify their hyg...
N Z Plaza, K M Ohno, J E Jakes, J B O’Sullivan, L Yang


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