IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 3237 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


New wood-modification process based on grafted urethane groups: Durability of carbamamylated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40974
Substituting commonly used toxic preservatives with wood modification treatments can make the wood material less prone to water and moisture uptake. This approach favours a more sustainable protection of wood against biodegradation. In this study, Scots pine sapwood was full-cell impregnated with an aqueous solution of urea (30%), dried at 40°C for 24h, and subsequently heat-treated at 150°C for...
C-F Lin, O Myronycheva, O Karlsson, D Jones, D Sandberg


Effects of preservative impregnations on wettability and surface free energy properties of Eucalyptus grandis wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40978
Wettability and surface free energy (SFE) are crucial parameters for evaluating the adhesion thermodynamics of solid surfaces. Hence, this study investigated the effects of copper azole (CA) and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) preservative impregnations on Eucalyptus grandis wood wettability and SFE. Wettability was determined in terms of contact angles with polar (water) and non-polar (dii...
A A Alade, C B Wessels, H Stolze, H Militz


CIOL Wood - towards industrial scale production
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40980
CIOL® is a new, low cost, non-toxic wood modification system, needed to replace traditional and non-sustainable alternatives with great potential. It’s important to find sustainable, environmentally friendly replacements to heavy metals and biocides. In the new European Bauhaus, Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the European commission, talks about how new living environment should be beautifu...
E Larnøy, J Biørnstad


Starch modified with silanes – high hydrophobic surface treatment for wood protection
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40981
The great potential of silanes for starch modification and their utility as surface wood protection is still not sufficiently assessed. The work aimed to analyze the crosslinking process's effect on starch modification with silane and tested the hydrophobic properties of surface-treated wood. The starch treatment was modified with methyltrimethoxysilane or N-octyltriethoxysilane. SEM-EDX with a cr...
W Perdoch, M Bajstok, B Mazela, I Siemińska, B Peplińska


Failure characteristics of thermally modified poplar wood subjected to mechanical tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40983
Poplar (Populus spp.) are among the fastest growing timber species and have been widely planted for use in plywood, composites, pallets, furniture components and paper production. However, the low density of the wood limits many structural applications and the wood has little resistance to biodegradation. Thermal modification represents one approach to improving durability by changing the moistur...
E Bari, M Ghorbanian Far, N Moradi, J J Morrell, G Daniel, B Mohebby, R Hosseinpourpia, M Humar


Modification of Gmelina arborea wood for utilization in Nigeria
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40986
The level of protection achieved by any wood treatment process is dependent on achieving a sufficient uptake and penetration of the treatment chemicals. This phenomenon is also applicable when considering chemical modification of any wood species. The desired changes in physical, mechanical or durability enhancement of treated species can only be achieved beyond a superficial treatment. For this, ...
S O Olaniran, H Militz


Bio-inspired wood protection, modification and functionalization
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40989
Wood is a versatile, natural, and environmentally friendly resource that has attracted attention as a material for sustainable building for many years. Recent advances in materials research have delivered several innovative solutions for the construction sector. However, intrinsic properties of wood affects its operational durability, which is still a limiting factor in many applications and envir...
A Sandak, K Butina Ogorelec, F Poohphajai, A Gubenšek, R Herrera Diaz, O Gordobil


Modification of wood by fast pyrolysis bio-oil – the NewWave project concept for bio-based wood treatment
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40990
The NewWave project aims to contribute to building a circular economy by introducing sustainable raw materials in different manufacturing lines, replacing toxic chemicals and lowering the environmental footprint of the products. The raw materials are obtained from the thermochemical fractionation of biomass. This process converts biomass residues by fast pyrolysis into Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO...
A Sandak, J Sandak, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, A Gubenšek, K Butina Ogorelec, L Kiezebrink, K J Swager, H Heeres, B van de Beld


Investigation on the use of whey ultrafiltration permeate as a biosourced agent of wood protection
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20718
The ever-growing demand for sustainable materials has driven research toward innovative strategies in both the fields of material science and environmental management. Wood is a natural composite that is attracting more and more attention due to its high physical strength, great machinability, aesthetic appeal, and low price as a renewable and biodegradable resource. It has a long-standing history...
A Keralta, J Winninger, J Chamberland, V Landry


Elevated pressure hybrid wood modification: Synergistic effects on durability performance
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20725
The combination of different wood modification technologies to obtain improved performance is increasingly receiving attention in research. In this study, Scots Pine was impregnated with furfuryl alcohol (FFA) in pure aqueous 20, 40 and 60% solution strength without adding any catalyst. In a second step, the FFA was polymerized while simultaneously performing thermal modification in a closed syste...
P Klaas, D Jones


Exploring bio-based chemicals in the residual stream from the thermal wood modification process
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30799
Numerous chemical-free processes have emerged in the wood processing industry to enhance the durability and optimize the service life of wooden elements exposed to exterior conditions. One such method, the hygrothermolytic modification process, patented as FirmoLin®, represents an industrial treatment for thermal modification of wood. This involves subjecting solid wood to a pressurized unsaturat...
R Herrera, W Willems, W Pajerski, A Selmanović, A Sandak


Preliminary investigation of the durability and performance of 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) treated aspen strandboard
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30804
Wood modification technologies are growing in popularity because of their potential to improve wood properties by permanent covalent chemical modifications rather than chemical impregnation. These features can be utilized in wood composites to help improve dimensional stability and composite resistance to fungal decay. In this study, 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) was used to m...
S Johnson, F Kamke, G Presley


Influence of the substitution of phenol with lignin cleavage products in phenol-formaldehyde impregnation resins for wood modification on the fungal decay resistance and impregnation depth
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30805
The impregnation modification of wood with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins increases the woods dimensional stability and resistance against fungal decay. However, to decrease the usage of non-renewable resources, the substitution of phenol has been a topic of scientific interest. Lignin is a currently underutilized resource with a chemical structure that contains phenolic units. For adhesive appli...
J Karthäuser, L Tarentino, A Treu, H Militz, G Alfredsen


Assessment of hydrophobic properties of acetylated and furfurylated Korean wood species
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30812
To increase the utilization of Korean wood species, the hydrophobic properties of the most commonly used wood species in Korea were compared according to wood modification. Pinus densiflora (sapwood and heartwood) and Larix kaempferi (heartwood) were selected as test wood species, and Pinus radiata (sapwood) was selected as the control wood species. The wood modification was performed by acetylati...
S-M Yoon, Y-S Choi, H-M Lee, Y Park, W-J Hwang, S-K Jang


Leaching and chemical redistribution of CCA components in refractory heartwood of E. nitens
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41011
Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative widely used to protect against fungal and insect attack. The fixation mechanism of CCA involves complex chemical reactions, including the reduction of chromium (VI) to chromium (III) and the formation of insoluble complexes. Despite fixation efforts, a portion of CCA components tends to leach from treated wood, influenced by factors like wood ...
J R Vargas, L Yermán, K C Wood, T Singh


Multifactorial analysis of the reasons behind wood natural durability
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11065
Physical, chemical and biological properties of several wood species were investigated in order to highlight the main factors involved in wood natural durability and wood characteristic using a principal component analysis. Interaction of wood with water were evaluated using contact angle measurements to determinate wood wettability by water and wood impregnability tests with water allowing to cal...
L-F E Nkogo, M S M Mouendou, S Dumarçay, P E Engonga, F Zannini, E Gelhaye, P Gérardin


Potential co-valorization of pyrolysis tars from five wood species form Tunisia as wood preservatives bases: Chemical compositions, antifungal and anti-termite activities
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20739
The pyrolysis of five Tunisian wood species (Ceratonia siliqua, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus maidenii, Pinus pinea, and Quercus canariensis) was carried out in a custom-designed carbonisation reactor developed at the INRGREF's Wood Technology Section (Tunis, Tunisia). This process aimed to produce both char and pyrolysis by-products, particularly pyrolysis oils. The experiments were conduc...
M T Elaieb, J Valette, E Kiény, L Pignolet, S Ghariani, K Candelier


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


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


Chestnut tannin-furfurylic resins for wood preservation: influence of the proportion of tannins as a copolymer
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30816
Tannin, which is present in all plants, is the most abundant polyphenol globally and can be extracted using water or organic solvents such as acetone, ethanol and methanol. Tannins are classified into two categories: condensed tannins (catechin-based polymers) and hydrolysable tannins (sugar esters with galloyl units). Previous studies have demonstrated its potential as a raw material for modifyin...
J V Dorini-Falavinha, C Gerardin-Charbonnier, P Cademartori


Furfurylation of wood with white pocket rot caused by Porodaedalea chrysoloma
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30819
Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi [Lamb.] Carr) is one of the major softwood plantation species in Japan. This tree is an important source of building materials or civil engineering that require strength. However, aged larch trees often suffer damage caused by wood decay fungi under natural conditions. Porodaedalea chrysoloma (Fr.) Fiasson & Niemelä is a basidiomycete and a stem heart rot fungal sp...
Y Mori, Yamashita, Y Ota, M Kiguchi


The impact of common fire retardancy salts and minerals on further properties of wood
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30821
Wood has become an increasingly important construction material. To ensure fire safety, fire retardants are widely applied. Recent research focuses on environmentally friendly fire retardants with strong fixation. Phosphate-based salts like diammonium hydrogen phosphate show high fire protection potential but are highly leachable due to their good water solubility. As a newer trend mineralisation ...
T Franke, T Volkmer


Unlocking the Potential of Dairy Coproducts in Wood Modification
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30822
The production of dairy coproducts, such as whey (sweet or acid) and whey ultrafiltration permeate, has significantly increased in response to the rising global cheese consumption. Proteins found in by-products are purified for human nutrition. However, upcycling lactose, which is the major compound of cheese by-products, is more challenging due to the high cost of upcycling processes. Furthermore...
A Keralta, J Karthäuser, J Winninger, J Chamberland, M-J Dumont, V Landry, H Militz


Plasma Modification of Basswood Creates Super-Black Wood
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30826
A super-black wood with low reflectivity in the UV/Vis range is created by plasma modifying transverse basswood surfaces. Here the super-black wood is characterised, the process used to make it is described and its possible practical uses are discussed. Wood samples are exposed to oxygen glow-discharge plasma. Transverse surfaces exposed to high-energy plasma have a deep-black velvety appearance. ...
K J Cheng, D Feng, M Turner, L Schmidt, P D Evans


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


Previous Page | Next Page