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Heat treatment, thermal treatment, thermal degradation of wood, carbon nanotubes and Damascus steel swords. What do they all have in common?
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40399
Thermal degradation of wood is a well known phenomenon. Yet heat-treatment of wood can also provide protection for wood against certain environmental hazards. This paper explores some of the aspects of thermal degradation of wood fiber at relatively low temperatures with a surprising result. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were produced when a specific heating regime was used to carbonize the wood fiber. ...
Xinfeng Xie, B Goodell, Yuhui Qian, G Daniel


Degradation of polychlorinated organic biocides by the wood decaying fungi
2008 - IRG/WP 08-50253
Organochlorine biocides such as lindane, pentachlorophenol sodium salt, and polychlorinated biphenyl 153 have been widely used as wood preservatives. Due to their low degradability by soil bacteria, treated waste wood products pose a serious threat to the environment. Consequently, there is an increased need for development of new strategies for their detoxification. In this work, the bioremediati...
I Vidic, L Zupancic-Kralj, K Sepcic, F Pohleven


Biological efficacy of micronized copper systems
2008 - IRG/WP 08-30485
Soil block, fungal cellar and field stake test data will be presented for micronized copper systems. The copper portion of the formulations is present as a fine dispersion of "micro" particulates while the co-biocide is present as either a soluble quat or an azole containing emulsion. This testing generally used the amine based counterpart as the control preservative system and the micronized fo...
C R McIntyre, M H Freeman


Control biológico de la mancha azul en madera aserrada de Pinus radiata D. Don.
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10681
Radiata pine wood is highly susceptible to the attack of sapstaining fungi promoting a discoloration which results in important economical losses. The use of chemicals, a customary procedure to prevent its occurrence is becoming nowadays, due to environmental concern, a more questionable practice. The biological control of blue stain fungi with albino isolates of the Ophiostoma genera appear to ...
J Navarrete, A Segura, P Martínez, R Vera, C Segovia, P Herrera, L Reyes, D McNew, T C Harrington, R L Farrell, J M Thwaites, B Held, R A Blanchette


Biological Performance of micronized copper wood preservative formulations in field and laboratory tests
2008 - IRG/WP 08-30488
Micronized Copper wood preservative formulations with different co-biocides were exposed to brown rot fungi in an 8-week AWPA E10 soil block decay test and two AWPA E7 ground-contact decay tests in Hawaii. The micronized copper formulations performed well against decay at or above the AWPA UC3 and UC4 retentions stipulated by the ICC-ES. Micronized copper preservatives performed comparably to a ...
G M Larkin, J Zhang, D L Richter, R J Ziobro, P E Laks


Effect of a biological treatment on below ground decay of Douglas-fir pole sections
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40433
The use of exogenous sugars to accelerate microbial growth and eventually limit available oxygen in soil surrounding wood in soil contact was investigated on untreated Douglas-fir poles exposed over a 3 year period in Western Oregon. Isolation frequencies differed markedly between treated and untreated poles and the treatment did appear to shift the frequency of some basidiomycetes. The treatment ...
C Freitag and J J Morrell


Effect of different ASAs (alkenyl succinic anhydrides) on the treatment of biological protection of wood in use class 4
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40440
The alkenyl suscinic anhydrides (ASAs) used in this work are adducts resulting from the maleinization reaction of fatty acid alkyl esters. Various products with different alkyl groups were synthesized from rapeseed (Brassica napus) oil esters, rich in oleic acid. The liquids obtained showed a viscosity similar to that of vegetable oils and a brown color. When applied into wood, a thermal treatment...
C Vaca-Garcia, O Pignolet


The involvement of hydroxyl-radical-producing glycoprotein from the white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora in wood decay
2009 - IRG/WP 09-10688
White-rot decay can be divided into two subtypes. One type involves the simultaneous degradation of all wood components through the formation of erosion troughs with a progressive thinning of wood cell walls. This type of decay is consistent with a model in which several polymer-degrading enzymes act on the exposed surfaces of the wood cell walls, producing progressive erosion from the lumen to th...
H Tanaka, Y Inoue, T Morikawa, S Itakura, A Enoki


Antinomic natural self-protection mechanism in long-lasting woods: a case study with three tropical species from French Guiana
2009 - IRG/WP 09-10696
We demonstrate in this work through 3 examples that Amazonian trees may specialize long-lasting woods by means of at least to different approaches. Wallaba impregnates its wood with large amounts of weakly antifungal compounds acting in synergy, while tatajuba and louro vermelho woods are naturally impregnated with antifungal agents. Comparison of biological activities in vitro and concentrations ...
A Rodrigues, M Royer, N Amusant, J Beauchêne, G Herbette, V Eparvier, A Thibaut, L Salmen Espíndola, B Thibaut, D Stien


Degradation of wood veneers by Fenton’s reagents: effects of low molecular weight phenolic compounds on hydrogen peroxide decay and tensile strength loss
2009 - IRG/WP 09-20400
Pine wood (Pinus sylvestris) veneers strips were incubated in acetate buffer containing hydrogen peroxide and iron to mimic mechanisms of brown rot decay and assess the degradation of cellulose through analysis of the tensile properties of the decayed wood. The tensile properties of thin wood strips treated with Fenton system reagents or precursors were determined and correlated to weight loss as ...
Yanjun Xie, R Well, Zefang Xiao, B Goodell, J Jellison, H Militz, C Mai


Use of biological and low toxicity products against subterranean termites
2009 - IRG/WP 09-20410
The climatology of Mediterranean countries is favourable to the development of termites that cause important damage to wood structures in both furniture and buildings. Until a few years ago the treatment for this type of insect was based on the impregnation of the wood with chemical products. The use of these chemicals is now being restricted in Europe since the publication and harmonization of n...
M T Troya, M J Prieto, F Rubio


Ensure Durable Wood-Frame Construction under the Climate and Biological Hazards in Shanghai
2009 - IRG/WP 09-20413
This paper provides technical background for developing durability-related provisions for the Shanghai wood-frame construction code. It summarizes the related climate, decay and termite hazards in this area as well as traditional durability solutions used for wood and wood hybrid constructions in China. The overall durability principles or philosophy used throughout this durability chapter are to ...
Jieying Wang, Chun Ni, Jiahua Zhang


Biological Treatment to Improve Wood Product Quality and Durability - Fifteen Years of Effort and Experience at FPInnovations-Forintek Division
2009 - IRG/WP 09-40444
Wood plays an important role in the world economy. However, wood is subject to attack from wood-degrading fungi and insects and durability and quality of wood products are becoming increasing concerns for consumers. Development of effective and low environmental impact technologies to improve wood product quality and durability will be required to address these concerns. The application of a bio...
Dian-Qing Yang


Biological Performance of Boron-based Chemicals Treated Wood Composites
2009 - IRG/WP 09-40464
In this study, the biological performance of wood-based composites panels treated with boron containing chemicals against to a fungus was determined. Boric acid, borax, zinc borate and agricultural borate (Tarım-bor™), developed and patented by National Boron Research Institute, were mixed with wood chips or fibers and then particleboard, medium strand board and middle density fiberboar...
Ü C Yıldız, H Kalaycıoğlu, S Yıldız, A Temiz, E Tomak Dizman, A Çavdar Dönmez


Fungal Attack on Lignin and Cellulose: Elucidation of Brown- and White-Rot Mechanisms Comparing Biomimetic and In-Vivo Degradation Patterns
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10714
This paper examines research and hypotheses that have been developed over several years on wood degradation mechanisms. This information is combined with new data and analyses to explain why wood decay patterns caused by brown-rot fungi and specific types of white-rot fungi are different. New data, including work with both biomimetic studies on low molecular weight compounds, degradative enzymes, ...
V Arantes, B Goodell, A M F Milagres, Yuhui Qian, T Filley, J Jellison, S Kelley


Glutathione transferases as functional biomarkers of wood degradation?
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10735
The recent release of several fungal genome sequences allows the report of an overview of fungal glutathione transferases (GSTs) focused on their function in the wood-degrading basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. A genomic and phylogenetic analysis of GST classes in various sequenced fungi –zygomycetes, ascomycetes and basidiomycetes- revealed some specificity in GSTs distribution, in com...
E Gelhaye, M Morel


Simulation and Investigation of Wood Degradation by Erosion Bacteria in Laboratory Experiments
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20431
A Microcosm experiment was successfully set up to establish, monitor and manipulate bacterial wood degradation under low oxygen conditions. Sound pine sticks were placed in waterlogged sediment from a heavily decayed pine pile foundation site in Amsterdam. The system was subject to different gassing treatment regimes in order to investigate the role of oxygen in the bacterial degradation process o...
J Gelbrich, E I Kretschmar, N Lamersdorf, H Militz


The Use of Micro-Tensile Testing to Assess Weathering Decay and Oxidative Degradation of Wooden Items
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20433
This paper presents a method to study the weathering performance of wooden items and to assess the oxidative degradation of wood via the Fenton reaction. Weathering resistance and photo-stability of wood was tested using pine wood (Pinus sylvestris) veneer strips measuring approximately 60 µm in thickness. The veneer strips were treated using a reactive chemical to impart surface protection. The ...
C Mai, Yanjun Xie, Zefang Xiao, P D Evans, H Militz


Diagnosis of failures in wood beams from historical house in Banská Štiavnica – Relations between ultrasonic measurements and bending properties
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20437
Various degrees of rot and other damages in ceiling beams with dimensions of 6500-8800 x 160-200 x 240-310 mm (length x height x width) situated in one historical bourgeois house in the UNESCO town Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia were determined visually and by the PUNDIT-plus ultrasonic device. Subsequently, for seventeen of the most bio-damaged fir (Abies alba Mill.) beams chosen for exchange were ...
L Reinprecht, M Pánek


The biological durability approach for wood product performance and service life prediction
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20457
The performance of wood-based products under conditions that enable biodegradation are of concern to all who envisage sustainable use of forest based products. This concern is also the basis of classification of wood species on the basis of their biological durability. Engineers are looking for options to transfer such classification into practical service life values for constructions and related...
J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, L De Boever


Biological performance of wood treated with tar-oil recovered during slow pyrolysis of macadamia nut shells
2010 - IRG/WP 10-30523
This study evaluated decay and termite resistance of wood treated with tar oil obtained from a commercial pyrolysis process of macadamia nut shells. Vacuum-treated pine wood specimens were subjected to various brown and white rot fungi based on the soil-block test method specified by the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) after leaching process. Treated specimens were also subjected to th...
S Nami Kartal, E Terzi, C Kose, J Hofmeyr, Y Imamura


Degradation of Carbon-Based Preservatives by Black-stain Fungi
2010 - IRG/WP 10-30533
Some black-stain fungi are known to exhibit resistance to carbon-based preservatives. However, the cause of this resistance is unclear. The fungi may have mechanisms to tolerate these chemicals, or they may be able to degrade and detoxify them. Fungi capable of degrading carbon-based preservatives are of interest for possible bioremediation of carbon-based preservative-treated wood at the end of i...
R Stirling, P I Morris


Impact of wood species on the performance of exterior wood coatings
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40519
To prolong the service life of a wooden construction the protective function of a coating is of utmost importance. The chemical composition as well as the wood-coating interface affects the performance of this protective layer and obviously wood species have an impact too. This paper discusses the influence of wood species on the overall coating performance. Therefore, a range of opaque waterborne...
I De Windt, J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker


Moisture dynamics of WPC as basis for biological durability
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40520
The largest market for wood-polymer composites (WPCs) is currently decking. Although many products are commercially available, a proper standard for the assessment of the biological durability of WPC does not exist. Recommended standards for testing resistance against basidiomycetes should be completed with a method to bring the specimens in a worst case situation, obtaining a moisture level high ...
N Defoirdt, J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke


Effect of Coatings on the Durability of Birch and Spruce Plywood. Part 2: Biological Durability
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40527
Several different coated birch and spruce plywood types were investigated in Finland using the combination of outdoor weathering and decay test EN 12038. The most important factor to affect on the biological performance of birch plywood, coated and uncoated, was edge sealing. For spruce plywood edge sealing had a smaller effect. However, in spite of positive effect against decay, edge sealing did ...
A Nurmi, H Viitanen


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