IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 400 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


Biological durability for novel composites manufactured from green materials
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40960
Flax and Jute fabrics were used as reinforcements with polyester resin to form composite skins while poplar particleboard was used as a core for making composite sandwich structures by applying vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) technique. Mechanical, physical, and biological properties of these novel green composite sandwich structures were evaluated. The results showed that the propo...
A S O Mohareb, A H Hassanin, A A Badr, K T S Hassan, R Farag


Morphological observation of wood at the early stages of decay in brown rot and white rot
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11020
Wood rotting fungi, the fungal species causing biodeterioration for wood building, are generally classified into white-rot, brown-rot and soft-rot fungi based on their decay modes. Since white-rot and brown-rot fungi are known to reduce wood strength significantly, it is important to clarify the mechanisms of their wood degradation. White-rot fungi reduce wood strength as the decay progress and de...
R Tsukida, T Hatano, Y Kojima, Y Horikawa, S Nakaba, R Funada, M Yoshida


Geopolymer as a fixation method for tannin-based wood preservatives
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30774
This study aims to test if a second step impregnation with a geopolymer solution can fix Colatan GT10, a commercial extract rich in tannins, to wood, reducing their leaching and improving their performance as wood preservatives. Scots pine sapwood specimens of 40×10×5 mm3 were impregnated with Colatan GT10 tannin mix, geopolymer, and as combined treatment Colatan GT10 with subsequent geopolymer ...
Y M López-Gómez, A Barbero-López, A Haapala


Performance of a noise barrier with different wood materials – results from a service trial after 25 years of exposure
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30776
In connection with the construction of the railway connection between Stockholm Arlanda airport and Stockholm city, an 11 km long noise barrier made of untreated European larch was built along the railway line. This provided an opportunity to implement a full-scale study comparing different untreated wood species and preservative treatments. Thus, in March 1996 ten test sections including untreate...
J Jermer, M Westin


Long-term field performance of a carbon-based preservative in ground contact test conditions
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30781
Carbon-based preservatives have demonstrated reasonable long-term field performance in above ground testing. This study examines the performance of a carbon-based preservative formulation containing quaternary ammonium compounds and tebuconazole as a treatment for three softwood species exposed in ground contact at two sites in Canada. The treatment was associated with improved decay resistance an...
C Wilson, J Zhang, R Stirling


Influence of weathering of wood surfaces before and after treatment with iron(II) sulphate
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30786
Outdoor wood is exposed to various factors that cause the wood to grey or age. The ageing processes can vary greatly depending on the exposure. Parts of the wood that are not exposed to external factors, e.g. under the eaves, are less exposed and the ageing process is therefore slower. This can be accelerated by solutions based on iron ions. In this way, the wood greys quickly and evenly. However,...
B Lesar, M Humar, F Osvald


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


Emerging wood nanotechnologies towards sustainable application and preservation
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40959
Wood is one of the most abundant biomaterials on earth and has been used for construction historically. Although existing wood composites are commercially successful, materials development has not targeted nano-structural control of the wood cell wall, which could extend the property range. The high porosity and permeability of wood scaffold provide excellent opportunities for material infiltratio...
Q Fu, T Singh, D Elustondo, M Sorieul


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


UV protection and dimensional stability of lignin-based wood treatments
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40979
New developments in the field of wood modification aim to enhance the intrinsic properties of natural timber. The limitation of wood should be preferably achieved with biobased ingredients and efficient, eco-friendly treatments possessing low environmental impact. Consequently, new solutions assuring expected properties and functionality over elongated service life and reducing the risk of product...
R Herrera,O Gordobil, F Poohphajai, A Sandak


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


Evaluation of the effectiveness of soaking of high-temperature plywood in low-temperature oil-based wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40991
We conducted a preliminary investigation to determine if soaking high-temperature plywood in a low-temperature preservative solution could achieve deeper penetration of the preservative, even in plywood made with refractory wood species such as Japanese larch. Specimens cut from commercial plywood (Japanese larch) were stored at various temperatures before being soaked in the preservative solution...
T Miyauchi, S Isaji, H Shibui, N Furuta, J Miyazaki, H Matusnaga


Manipulation of the hierarchical wood structure for extended carbon storage in the built environment
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50381
The sustainable processing of trees into construction materials can act as carbon storage. Carbon storage in durable sustainable wooden construction material has cumulative effects and net gain in storage in the built environment that can be offset by net losses in forest carbon by cutting the tree. Carbon storage for an extended period plays an important role in the mitigation of CO2 emissions an...
T Singh, A Arpanaei, D Elustondo, Q Fu


Prevention of termite tubing on foam insulation materials
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11039
Foam insulation products have been shown to be damaged by termites who can readily tunnel within it and use it as a conduit within structures. Different types of commercially available foam insulation were tested to see if they could support termite (Coptotermes formosanus, Shiraki) tunnelling on or within them and whether they could be used as a conduit to access a wood food source placed above i...
Q Wu, J Curole, J D Lloyd


X-ray micro-computed tomography of copper distribution in CA, ACQ and MCA treated wood and changes in microstructure of ACQ-treated southern pine following natural weathering
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20707
We hypothesized that X-ray micro-CT would be able to visualize: (a) the distribution of copper in CA-treated southern pine; and (b) microstructural changes in ACQ-treated southern pine exposed to natural weathering. Small blocks were removed from southern pine samples treated with CA and also southern pine treated with ACQ and MCA. Small blocks were also removed from ACQ-treated boards (flat and p...
D Feng, M Turner, P D Evans


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


Studies on the treatability of selected pine species and corresponding efficacies of a new non-biocidal treatment
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20721
Wood decay caused by fungi may reduce the service life of wood in outdoor applications. Since moisture conditions in wood occur as one of the most crucial parameters for fungal decay, chemical modifications, which affect the latter, may increase the resistance of wood against such organisms. Usually, pine sapwood is easier to chemically treat than heartwood, as the former generally shows good perm...
T R da Silva Lins, L Emmerich, H Militz, P H Gonzales de Cademartoni, R J Klizke, M Pereira da Rocha


Comparison of copper leaching from alkaline copper quat and copper compound nanosol-based wood preservative treated wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20726
To improve the leaching resistance of copper ion-based wood preservatives, copper compound nanosol-based wood preservatives were developed and its copper leaching characteristics were evaluated. Three types of preservatives (DC1, DC2, DC3) were prepared with different crystallinity and dispersant types of copper compound nanosol, and the copper concentration was adjusted to be the same as that of ...
Y-S Choi, S-M Yoon, J O Kim, J-G Kang, J-G Park


A new wood preservative system based on basic copper compound nanosols
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20728
A bottom-up process was established to synthesize insoluble basic copper compound nanoparticles and simultaneously form a stable nanosol by dropping a neutralizing agent solution into an aqueous solution of a copper compound to which an appropriate dispersant system was added. The main ingredient of MCA (Micronized Copper Azole), the leading copper-based wood preservative in the current world mark...
J O Kim, J-G Kang, Y-S Choi, S-M Yoon, H-M Lee, J-G Park


Bio-durability and weathering performances of cardanol-treated wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30809
Cardanol is an excellent insecticide, fungicide, and termiticide derived from thermally treated cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and has been extensively explored in the chemical industry and for medicinal uses. However, its potential for wood protection remains unexplored. This study aims to understand the bio-durability and weathering properties of cardanol-treated wood. The southern pine and yello...
L Liang, McDonald, A G, L Cai


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


Changes in decay risk of wood in ground contact over Europe, from analysis of historic climate conditions
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41008
Changing climate conditions will affect global temperature and precipitation patterns, shifting some geographical areas into states that are more suitable for fungal wood decay. Climate normals, which are taken over a 30-year period, capture vast spatial and temporal variations in these conditions and comparing these can show changes over time. Importantly, being able to identify locations that ha...
P B van Niekerk, B N Marais, G Alfredsen, C Brischke


Evaluation of mass timber materials for military and commercial trailer decking
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41009
In this study, CLT trailer decking was manufactured to current military trailer decking specifications, verified using PRG320 performance criteria, and treated with either waterborne or oil borne wood preservatives. Preliminary results show adequate uptake of preservative solution and subsequent testing shows minimal effect due to treatment. Field durability tests are also being conducted of treat...
G Kirker, A Senalik, X Wang, K Ohno, R Arango, M Mankowski, X Xie, J Eskola, N Kamprath, S Karwaczynski, M Weaver


Phytosanitary treatment of roundwood for oversea shipping - on the suitability of dry heat treatment as alternative to climate-change effective fumigation
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50394
The transcontinental trade of roundwood requires thorough phytosanitary treatment to protect native flora and fauna against foreign pests. This is generally done by fumigating shipping containers packed with roundwood with sulfuryl fluoride, a potent greenhouse gas. After treatment, the gas is released into the atmosphere, causing massive emissions. Since 2017, the usage of sulfuryl fluoride in th...
G Weber, L Schrader, J Trautner


Biofabrication of composite materials – Utilizing lignocellulosic biomass and mycelium in 3D printing
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50396
In this research, we investigated the potential of utilising lignocellulosic biomass and mycelium for 3D printing applications to develop sustainable biocomposite materials. Our study began with a systematic investigation of various fungal cultures, including Pleurotus ostreatus, Schizophyllum commune, Ganoderma resinaceum, Trametes versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum, in combination with substrat...
D Krzisnik, B Žuran, M Kariž, M Humar


Previous Page