Environmentally friendly protection of European beech against fire and fungal decay using a combination of thermal modification and mineralisation

ABSTRACT

The demand for construction timber is continuously increasing, due to its favourable characteristics. However, the adequate protection of wood is key to its successful use, as it is flammable and susceptible to biodegradation. Given that thermal modification enhances the durability of wood, and mineralisation with CaCO₃ considerably improves its fire properties, it is worth considering the combined effects of the two methods.

European beech (Fagus sylvatica) was selected to determine the effects of a) thermal modification, b) mineralisation through the in-situ formation of CaCO₃, and c) a combination of the two procedures, on resistance to decay fungi, reaction to fire and the mechanical properties of the wood. Microscopic analysis and comparisons of the samples before and after exposure to fungi were also conducted.

Mineralised wood generally had a slightly alkaline pH value and higher equilibrium moisture content, while thermal modification lowered the equilibrium moisture content. The present study demonstrated the combined effect of thermal modification and mineralisation: the best response to fire as well as resistance to fungi was achieved when the two treatments were combined. Results from the Brinell hardness and three-point bending tests indicate that both modification procedures can slightly impair the mechanical properties of the wood.

KEYWORDS:

• Wood
• protection
• durability
• mechanical properties

Acknowledgements

We are very much obliged to Catherine Earles for proof-reading the English manuscript.

Author contributions

Conceptualisation: RR, AP, ASŠ; Data curation: RR, MH. NK, AP; Formal analysis: RR, MH, NK, DK; Funding acquisition: MH, ASŠ; Investigation: RR, AP, DK, NK; Methodology: MH, FK, DK; Project administration: ASŠ; Resources: ASŠ, MH; Supervision: ASŠ, MH; Validation: AP, DK, MH, ASŠ, FK, NK; Visualisation: RR, AP; Writing – original draft: RR; Writing – review & editing: RR, AP, DK, MH, ASŠ, FK, NK.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Preprint/AOM citation

This manuscript has been posted on Research Square as a preprint (AOM).

Rožle REPIČ, Andreja PONDELAK, Davor KRŽIŠNIK et al. Environmentally friendly protection of European beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) against fire and fungal decay using a combination of thermal modification and mineralisation. 23 February 2023, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2612478/v1]

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (basic research funding No.: P2-0273, P4-0430 and P4-0015), as well as Young Researcher funding 51944.Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS.