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Treatment of Selected Lesser Used Timber Species against Subterranean Termites using Heartwood Extracts from Teak (Tectona grandis) and Dahoma (Piptadeniastrum africanum)
2007 - IRG/WP 07-30434
Lesser used timber species represent a valuable material for all-purpose uses but the problem is that most of them are not durable. They have, for this reason, been treated with all manner of chemicals to enhance their natural durability, especially in the tropics. Often, most of these chemicals pose a threat to the environment. Currently, one probable measure of avoiding such a threat to the envi...
A Asamoah, C Antwi-Boasiako


Decay Resistance Properties of Hemicellulose-Extracted Oriented Strand Board
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10644
There is increasing interest in using cellulosic biomass as the basis for a renewable source of energy. Although the traditional focus has been on cellulose, researchers are also exploring the possibility of using hemicelluloses because they can be removed with hot water leaving the wood product intact for other applications. However, there is concern that removing hemicelluloses from the precur...
C Howell, J Paredes, S Shaler, J Jellison


Anatomical, physical and chemical changes of Bamboo (Phyllostachys puberscence ) during weathering processes
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10650
Bamboo (Phyllostachys puberscence) culms with 1, 2, 3 year old were exposed to natural weathering condition in Gwangju, Korea for 12 months. Changes in color, surface topography, strength and chemical properties were investigated using various microscopic and instrumental techniques. After one year’s weathering, the color of bamboo became lighter but strengths of bamboo did not change significan...
Jong Sik Kim, Kwang Ho Lee, Mi Young Cha, Yoon Soo Kim


Inducing and Stimulating Spalting in Sugar Maple
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10652
Spalted wood has gained popularity in recent years as consumer preference has shifted towards unique and custom products. The process by which spalting is induced in clear lumber has evolved over time, and now involves much more than beer drinking and outdoor burial. Our work on the process of reliably producing spalted wood began in 2004 and involved testing a wide variety of white rot fungi on...
S C Robinson, D L Richter, P E Laks


Decay resistance of propionylated Iranian beech against the white rot fungus Tramets versicolor
2008 - IRG/WP 08-30449
In this study, the decay resistance of propionylated beech was investigated against the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Iranian beech (Fagus orientalis) was modified with propionic anhydride at different temperatures, concentrations and times without using any catalyst. Different weight percentage gains (WPGs) were obtained under different conditions. The decay resistance of the esterifed wo...
M R M Farahani, S M Hosseini


Natural durability of different wood species in above ground applications - Weight and MOE loss
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10667
In Norway, exterior wood structures have traditionally, nearly exclusively been made of untreated Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) and pressure treated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). In recent years there has been a tendency that other wood species, like various Norwegian hardwoods or imported species, have been used in exterior above ground applications, often not surface treated. For se...
F G Evans, P-O Flæte, G Alfredsen


Antifungal activity of different molecular weights of a biopolymer chitosan against wood decay fungi
2008 - IRG/WP 08-30456
In recent years chitosan has been investigated as a natural polymer for wood preservation against fungal decay. From an environmental point of view, chitosan seems to possess a potential approaches as wood protecting agent. In this study, three different molecular weights of chitosan compounds (with approximately the same degree of deacetylation 83 ± 2 %) were evaluated as in vitro and in vivo as...
A S O Mohareb, M E I Badawy


Surface color and roughness characteristics of medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels treated with fire retardants
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40420
The objective of this study was to determine surface characteristics and color change properties of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) treated by fire retardants (FR) with 10% concentration. Experimental panels were made using by melamine ureaformaldehyde (MUF) adhesive having 10%, 15%, 20% of melamine. The surface properties of the samples were determined using a fine stylus technique. Three roughn...
D Ustaömer, M Usta, S Hiziroglu


Wood protection, a tool for climate change mitigation?
2008 - IRG/WP 08-50257
In the context of global warming and the search for possible strategies to mitigate climate change, forest and forest products have important advantages. Sustainable management makes forest a carbon sink, wood products have the potential to be a carbon sink as well, and their low carbon intensity is a potential for reducing CO2 emissions by substitution to competing materials. After describing the...
G Deroubaix


Effectos de la intemperización artificial sobre la madera de mezquite (Prosopis laevigata)
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40430
The effects of artificial weathering on Prosopis laevigata wood were studied on eight replicates (150 x 72 x 15mm (l x t x r)) free of knots, cracks and resin. The samples were exposed tangentially to UV light and to water spray during three cycles (1 cycle corresponded 1 week of artificial weathering). The conditioning time between each cycle was thirty days. The effects were measured according t...
A Carrillo-Parra, F Hapla, C Mai


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


Colour change monitoring of photodegradation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) – a short term focus
2009 - IRG/WP 09-40442
Colour change monitoring of photodegradation is a quick and easy method for monitoring rates of photodegradation in timber. A study was undertaken to compare this technique to other monitoring methods, including microtensile strength changes and weight loss. Colour changes due to accelerated sunlight exposure were monitored using a Datacolor check spectrophotometer and compared with a set of contr...
V Sharratt, C A S Hill, D P R Kint


Termite Resistant Properties of Wood and Natural Fiber Plastic Composites - AWPA E1 Test Data
2009 - IRG/WP 09-40466
This paper deals with resistance properties of wood plastic composites against Formosan Subterranean Termites (FSTs) based on the AWPA E1 test standard. Sixteen laboratory WPC formulations, four WPC commercial materials, and southern pine (Pinus sp.) wood control were tested for termite mortality, sample weight loss, and sample damage rating. The results show that FSTs did attack WPC products in ...
Q Wu, T Shupe, J Curole, K Ragon, M Voitier, M Freeman, D Ring


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


Termite taxonomy and distribution with particular reference to climate change in Africa
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10738
Termites constitute an integral component of various ecosystems in Africa. Termites are also amongst the most difficult of the insects to study because of their cryptic behaviour. There are around 2600 species of termites (Isoptera) in 280 genera which have been described worldwide and about 39% of the total termite species are found in Africa. Some termite species are well known pests of agricul...
P O Y Nkunika, B M Ahmed Shiday, G W Sileshi, J R J French, P Nyeko, S Jain


Impact of climate change on wood deterioration - Challenges and solutions for cultural heritage
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20441
Deterioration of wood in cultural assets follows the same physiological mechanisms as in modern structures. Therefore rules and data for prediction of service life derived from old wooden structures can be used to model the service life of recent wooden structures and vice versa. The latter is done in this paper: From experimental test set ups in the field spread over Europe, climatic data, wood t...
C Brischke, A O Rapp, M Hasan, R Despot


Photostabilization of Wood with Higher Molecular Weight UV Absorbers
2010 - IRG/WP 10-30524
Higher molecular weight UV absorbers were created by reacting the epoxy-functionalized UV absorber 2-hydroxy-4(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-benzophenone (HEPBP) with maleic, phthalic or succinic anhydride. The ability of the UV absorbers to photostabilize wood was then examined. FTIR-spectroscopy confirmed that HEPBP reacted with phthalic anhydride to create a polyester that preserved the UV-absorbing benzop...
P D Evans, M J Chowdhury


The kinetics of catalytic acetylation of Pinus radiata (D. Don) using conventional and microwave heating
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40485
This study outlines the effect of catalyst and microwave heating on the degree of acetylation in radiata pine. Samples of radiata pine sapwood were impregnated with potassium acetate (KAc) dissolved in two different solvents (water and methanol). Impregnated samples were dried and subjected to acetic anhydride loading followed by conventional and microwave heating. The degree of acetylation was ev...
A Kumar Sethy, P Vinden, G Torgovnikov, S Przewloka


Comparison of colour change in wood clear-coating systems including inorganic and organic UV absorbers for exterior use
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40499
The aim of this work is to compare the performance of inorganic and organic UV absorbers used in a wood coating application against weathering. Our study has investigated the colour changes of selected UV absorbers; hombitec 402 RM from the Sachtleben Company as an inorganic UV absorber, tinuvin 477 DW from the Ciba Company as an organic UV absorber. The study was carried out on two wood species; ...
Ö Özgenç, B Forsthuber, A Teischinger, C Hansmann


Preliminary Observations of the Photostabilization of Wood Surfaces with Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40504
Reactive transition metal compounds, wood modification and grafting of UV absorbers have all been used to photostabilize wood. Some of these approaches are promising, but the toxicity of certain reactive transition metal compounds and the cost of wood modification and grafting have restricted their commercial applications. Hence, more cost-effective and environmentally friendly methods of protecti...
Chunling Liu, A Ahniyaz, P Evans


Climate change and wood protection, increasing demand of long life wood products and decreasing production of treated wood
2010 - IRG/WP 10-50269
Several new topics related to wood protection sector has appeared in Japan, as the awareness of climate change becomes bigger and bigger. The “Basic act for housing (2006)” and the “Long-life housing promotion act (2009)” were enforced to form a safe and high quality housing stock and to form a long-service-life housing respectively. Despite of the favorable background for wood protection ...
K Yamamoto, H Kato


Effects of global climate change on mould growth - Interactions of concern
2010 - IRG/WP 10-50270
An evident change in climate the last decades has been recorded, and combined effects of increased CO2, elevated temperature and altered precipitation regimes have been observed to represent a change to the fundamental drivers within ecosystems. Growth of moulds, both in nature and on man-made constructions and objects, will most likely increase due to changes in the climate. The survival, the rep...
L Ross Gobakken


Wood decay enzymatic ability of Fusarium circinatum
2012 - IRG/WP 12-10777
There exists pathogens that attack standing trees of forests, and do not usually thrive once the tree is felled. However, occasionally they can be present in a latent state in the wood and can spread and affect new areas with economic, ecological and social consequences. Fusarium circinatum is a fungus that causes “pitch canker” in pine species, and is considered a quarantine organism within t...
M T Troya, F Llinares, Y Serrano, M Conde


Smart hydrogels from low molecular weight amphiphilic compounds: toward a solution to decrease leachability and increase efficacy of boron preservatives?
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30589
A new catanionic system associating amphiphilic carnosine (AlaHisC8) and lauric acid forms supramolecular hydrogel at very low concentration. This gel was investigated and we have checked the validity of the concept of hydrogels utilization to reduce boron leachability and to develop new wood protection treatments. Impregnation with 5% aqueous borax solution (w/w) and 0.3% gelator agent (...
F Obounou Akong, P Gérardin, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


Hydrogels: a solution to reduce boron leachability without reduction of its biodisponibility to wood decaying fungi?
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30602
Products used today for wood protection must fulfill to more and more environmental constraints, such as being of low toxicity in answer to the Biocidal Product Directory, but also to involve waterborne treatments to limit rejection of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. Boron preservatives have been described as valuable alternatives for wood protection for non-ground contact applicatio...
F Obounou Akong, P Gérardin, M-F Thévenon, S Parant, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


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