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    Thermal modification of wax-impregnated wood to enhance its physical, mechanical, and biological properties

    Year: 2017

    Journal: Holzforschung, Volume 71, JAN, page 57–64

    Authors: Humar, Miha; Krzisnik, Davor; Lesar, Bostjan; Thaler, Nejc; Ugovsek, Ales; Zupancic, Klemen; Zlahtic, Mojca

    Organizations: Slovenian Research Agency [L4-5517, L4-7547]; infrastructural centre for preparation, weathering and field-testing of wood and lignocellulosic materials [IC LES PST 0481-09]; European Union, project "WINdow based on THERmally modified wood with high performance WAX coating" (WINTHERWAX) [666206]; [P4-0015]

    Keywords: contact angle (CA); differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); durability classes; long-term water uptake; mechanical properties; modulus of elasticity (MoE); modulus of rupture (MoR); natural wax; short-term water uptake; thermal modification; resistance against fungi; water sorption; wax impregnation of wood; weight loss

    Thermal modification is the most important commercial modification procedure. Thermally modified (TM) wood has improved durability, but its performance does not meet expectations predominately under moist conditions. To reduce water uptake of TM wood, Norway spruce specimens were treated with suspensions of a natural wax by dipping impregnation (DipI) or by vacuum-pressure impregnation (VPI). Wax-treated specimens were subsequently TM at 185, 200, 215, and 230 degrees C. Control specimens were heated up to 100 degrees C only. Contact angle (CA), short-term and long-term water uptake, bending strength, and performance against wood decay fungi of the resulting material were determined. The results show that a combination of wax treatment and thermal modification have a synergistic effect that considerably improves hydrophobicity, reduces liquid water uptake, slows down water vapor uptake, and improves the resistance against fungal decay of the treated material.
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