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Comparative study of the properties of silicate coatings with different mineral pigments (titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide, copper (II) oxide) on the surface of wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40936
Silicate coatings are attractive alternatives to conventional organic-based coatings for wood protection. In this work, silicate coatings were prepared with a potassium silicate binder modified with a methyl siliconate solution, and three types of mineral pigments titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide and copper (II) oxide. The coatings were applied on beech wood and cured under ambient conditions. T...
A M Cheumani Yona, M Petrič


Effect of nano-particle characteristics and concentration on UV protection of timber: A field exposure test
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40941
Wood has a well-known susceptibility to ultra-violet light degradation, leading to premature replacement. A variety of products have been developed to protect against this damage, but most provide less than 12 months of protection and must be regularly reapplied. Developing improved coatings would help reduce wood losses and reduce maintenance costs. Nano-particles have a variety of attractive pro...
T Yi, J J Morrell


The influence of thermal modification and surface charring to different levels on wettability of Norway spruce wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40942
The wood can alternatively be protected from water absorption by thermal modification and charring. Both techniques cause certain chemical and physical changes in the wood, the extent of which depends on the level of temperature applied. The objective of this study was to determine how the combination of charring to different levels and thermal modification affects the chemical, morphological, and...
J Žigon, C Gerardin, M E P Wålinder, P Gerardin


Phenol formaldehyde modification and termite resistance under laboratory testing
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40952
The development of phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins as a means of impregnating solid wood is one that has been explored for several decades, both in terms of conventional impregnation processing (Impreg) or compressional impregnation (Compreg). However, it is only recently with advances in processing conditions that the method truly affords a means of achieving conventional modification for solid t...
L Nunes, A Pitman, M Duarte, B Stefanowski, D Jones


Accelerated surface mould testing for exterior wood treatment in Temperate, Tropical and Laboratory environments
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20699
Mould attack is a very common cause of discoloration on wooden surfaces and can subsequently promote development of wood decay by other organisms. Prevention of mould growth is relevant for both pigmented wood paints as well as more transparent systems with a high or low amount of binder. The use of commercial biocides has led to effective microbiological inhibition in many contexts, but the incre...
A Nazeri, J Stenbaek, T R Laursen, A H H Wong, B M Hasnul


Improvement of durability of Scots pine against termites by impregnation with citric acid and glycerol followed by in situ polyesterification
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30777
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) sapwood samples were impregnated with solution containing citric acid (CA) and glycerol (Gly) followed by heating 140 °C according to already described procedure (L'hostis et al. 2018). The resulting modified woods were then used to evaluate the effect of chemical modification on the durability against termites. Two kinds of experiments were conducted for this purpos...
M Mubarok, J Damay, E Masson, E Fredon, Y S Hadi, I W Darmawan, P Gerardin


Tree bark as a renewable source of wood protection materials for building applications (BarkBuild)
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30792
The BarkBuild project aims to address climate change mitigation by developing new, sustainable, and long-lasting wood building materials with low environmental impact. The project focuses on developing bark-based wood protection and building formulations that demonstrate technical performance, safety, and sustainability in both outdoor and indoor applications. The research objectives of the projec...
A Treu, M Sipponen


Identifying compatible waterborne timber preservatives and fire retardants for use in a VPI system: a practical approach
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30796
To enhance the use and suitability of timber in all applications in both exterior and interior settings, timber typically needs to be treated with a preservative and/or a fire retardant chemical. Combining fire retardants with preservatives into a single treatment process has been a long-term aim of researchers in the timber preservative industry because of the significant logistic and economic ad...
R Robinson, S Meldrum


Effect of impregnation modification treatment on properties of Paraserianthes falcataria wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40966
Modification treatment can improve the properties of wood, particularly those of fast-growing species. Paraserianthes falcataria, also known as batai, is a fast-growing species with low wood density. This species has piqued the interest of those involved in industrial wood processing as a promising alternative for construction. The aim of this study is to improve the dimensional stability of batai...
A S Yusoh, A S Boneka, M K Anwar U, S Salim, S H Lee


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


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


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


Surface treatment of cross-laminated timber to improve water repellency and UV resistance
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20716
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) has emerged as a revolutionary building material, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional construction methods. By layering and bonding multiple layers of wood at right angles, CLT creates a robust and versatile structural element capable of supporting significant loads while promoting eco-friendliness and design flexibility. However, despite its numerous adv...
M Chen, S Uphill, J Hilsenbeck, A Hughes


The potential of Wacapou (Vouacapoua americana) extracts to develop new biobased protective solutions for white woods
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20724
The valorisation of Amazonian wood residues into active chemical compounds could be an eco-friendly, cost effective and valuable way to develop wood preservatives formulations in order to enhance the decay and termite resistances of low durable wood species, by impregnation processes. Wacapou (Vouacapoua spp., Fabaceae) is a well-known Guianese wood species for its use in local wood construction ...
E Kieny, K Candelier, L Milhe, Y Estevez, C Sophie, R Lehnebach, J Damay, D Florez, E Hoël, M-F Thevenon, J Bossu


Natural weathering of modified pine and Eucalyptus woods by surface charring
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30801
Within various wood modification techniques, surface charring is anticipated to extend the lifespan of wooden components in building facades; however, visual deterioration of charred cladding materials has become a notable concern. This study, conducted through international collaboration, aimed to assess the resistance of bio-based facade materials to weathering in the Turkish climate. The natura...
E E Soyturk, E N Kavakli, S N Kartal, C M Ibanez


Physical, durability and chemical characterization of Gmelina arborea (Roxb.) wood treated with lactic acid
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30803
The increase in demand for durable wood has drawn attention to the use of fast-grown plantation species across the globe. Chemical modification was used to treat Gmelina arborea wood with lactic acid for property enhancement. The treated samples were obtained from two different ages of 15 and 10 years and sawn into (20 x 20 x 60) mm and (20 x 20 x 20) mm for physical, durability and chemical chara...
T O Akinwamide, J M Owoyemib, E A Iyiolac


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


Citric acid and sorbitol treatment: A comparative study of Canadian and Norwegian species
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30806
Dimensional instability can reduce the competitiveness of wood in exterior applications such as cladding and decking. The objective of this work was to evaluate the dimensional stability of permeable and refractory softwoods from Europe and North America modified via a sorbitol and citric acid treatment. White spruce and Norwegian spruce, refractory species, and jack pine and Scots pine, relativel...
D Schorr, Erik Larnøy, R Stirling, G Boivin


A novel treatment for increasing UV stabuility of wood based on citric acid and urea
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30811
Wood, a fundamental material in the Built Environment, faces challenges related to durability and weathering, notably UV degradation leading to colour changes. This study explored a novel treatment method utilising citric acid and urea to enhance the UV stability of wood. The reaction between these compounds forms fluorescent species and insoluble nanoparticles upon thermal treatment. Two treatmen...
S Jué, A Scharf, C-F Lin, R Moutou Pitti, D Sandberg, D Jones


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


Transmission poles - Analysis of causes of premature failure in Slovenia
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20745
The study focuses on analysing the causes of the premature collapse of wooden transmission poles in Slovenia, where there have been several cases of rapid fungal decomposition of poles despite the planned lifespan of 30 to 50 years. The poles were made of Scots pine wood and impregnated with a copper-ethanolamine wood preservative. The research aimed to assess the condition of standing poles and e...
M Humar, B Lesar, N Kregar, S Drnovšek


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


Introduction of UV absorbers to wood surfaces via atom transfer radical polymerization
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30834
Wood is a promising material suited for both residential and commercial construction. However, the structure of the wood materials varies depending on the environmental factors such as microorganisms, water, and light. In particular, wood surfaces exposed to outdoor conditions are rapidly degraded because cell wall chemical components such as lignin structure strongly absorb ultraviolet (UV) light...
K Maezaki, Y Mori, M Kiguchi


Linking treatability with moisture dynamics
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41031
Wood preservation is inherently linked to the ability to penetrate treating liquids. The EN 147374 (2022) standard provides a methodology to assess treatability and allows to identify wood species in relation to treatability classes. Over the past decades, performance of wood species in applications in use class 3 has been linked both to the impact of moisture dynamics and the resistance against f...
J Van Acker, K De Vriendt, M Durimel, L De Ligne, J Van den Bulcke


Investigation of Impregnation Factors for Biomass-Based Phenol-Formaldehyde Resins
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41044
This study investigates the impregnation factors affecting the treatment of wood with biomass-based phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins, such as impregnation methods, resin properties, and setting parameters like time and pressure. The goal is to ensure effective resin penetration into the wood cell wall structure, thereby enhancing wood durability and mechanical properties. Previous literature has la...
Y-C Huang, T-H Lin, P-Y Kuo


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