Your search resulted in 330 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
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
Optimization of furfurylic alcohol/tannin ratio to improve the performance of biosourced thermoset resins for wood protection
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40994
This study concerns the chemical modification of wood with different ratios of tannin and furfuryl alcohol (FA) in the presence of maleic acid as catalyst. Tannins were used not only as cross-linking agents, but also as co-monomers to improve wood durability, while reducing the amount of FA used. Different aqueous formulations were prepared containing decreasing amount of FA (from 45.45% to 0%) an...
E Azadeh, A Pizzi, P Gérardin, C Gérardin-Charbonnier
Improving American Hardwoods Sustainability, Durability and Markets
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50378
The American hardwood industry, which dates back to the first European settlers, has a wealth of experience processing the native hardwoods of North America. The US hardwood resource is mainly located in the eastern United States, from Maine in the North to the Gulf of Mexico in the South and westwards to the Mississippi Valley. The USA has more temperate hardwood species than any other world regi...
D Brooks, M Snow
Enhanced durability of bio-based materials for green building
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50382
Wood protection technologies provide tools to enhance the durability of bio-based materials for green building. Both wood and related bio-based material are regarded as eminent for green building. It allows to underpin several of the United Nations sustainable development goals and is regarded critical for the Green Deal objectives of the EU. Nevertheless, to enhance the potential it needs to be b...
J Van Acker, L De Ligne, J Vand den Bulcke
Recent experiences in the protection of wooden cultural heritage in Europe with a novel wood preservative with vegetal extracts–permethrin-azole mixture
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11027
The paper presents recent treatment experiences in Europe for the preservation of cultural heritage with the bio-based gel-emulsion solution XILIX® containing SYNERKEM® technology, whose higher diffusion capacity has been proven (up to 8 mm pyrethroid penetration into the wood). This gel-emulsion is already authorized and marketed as preventive and remedial wood preservative in Europe for more t...
D Messaoudi, A Robert, A H H Wong
Laboratory and field evaluations of bio-based termiticide containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® against native and Formosan subterranean termites
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11049
Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® is a 100% plant-based ingredient, rich in active molecules, particularly polyphenols, specially adapted to the needs and challenges of termite protection. The efficacy performance of a bio-based termiticide product containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® had been evaluated both in soil treatment and in wood protection treatment against native ...
D Messaoudi, J Curole, Q Wu
Suberinic acid from birch bark and its suitability in wood protection
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20708
This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of suberinic acid (SA) on the growth of two fungi species. Initial radial growth tests showed a slightly slower growth rate for brown rot, whereas white rot exhibited faster growth than the untreated reference. In contrast, a commercial wood preservative significantly reduced the radial growth of both fungi species. Evidence of cell wa...
A Treu, M Altgen, J Rizikovs
Binder-free, fire-resistant, light-weight fiberboard materials encrusted with expandable graphite and borax
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20714
Despite abundant data on innovative fire protection technologies tailored for wood and lignocellulosic materials, the prevailing approach revolves around the formulation of fire retardant solutions employing water-soluble salts, e.g., phosphorus or boron compounds. On the other hand, additives fostering the formation of a char layer during the combustion of lignocellulosic materials as a non-leach...
W Perdoch, W Grześkowiak, B Mazela
Terpene-based latex synthesis for exterior wood protection
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20715
Driven by challenges in raw material supply chains, the coatings industry is actively seeking biobased alternatives to enhance outdoor wood protection. This study aims to investigate the integration of biobased monomers into latex formulations, aligning with protocols applicable in industrial contexts. A semi-batch emulsion polymerization protocol was developed, designed to be scalable and meet es...
M Carrère, V Landry
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
Virtual reality of wood protection
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20727
Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that allows people to explore and interact with computer generated environments using devices that stimulate different senses (sight, sound and touch). VR is mainly used for education, training and entertainment, but it also has the potential to provide new insights into scientific phenomena. We describe our work on the use of VR as a learning tool for students...
D Feng, Y Liu, M Turner, A Limaye, P D Evans
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
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
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
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
CIOL Wood – Industrialization of Sustainable Wood Products: Progress and Prospects
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30820
CIOL® is an innovative, low-cost, non-toxic wood modification system designed to replace traditional, non-sustainable treatments used for wood protection. Since our last contribution in 2023, significant progress has been made in the development of CIOL® towards industrial-scale production. This update presents new results on fire protection, mechanical properties, and the continued scaling of t...
J Biørnstad
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