Improving Performance of Thermal Modified Wood against Termites with Bicine and Tricine

The desire to incorporate wood in modern construction has led to a considerable increase in the use of wood modification techniques, and especially thermal modification. However, thermally modified wood has poor performance against termites. The concept of using a combined chemical and thermal modification has been undertaken through the impregnation with either bicine or tricine prior to modification. This paper considers the effects of these chemicals on the activity of termites and considers their mode of action in terms of termite survival and on their effects on the symbiotic protists present within the termite gut.

Color changes of ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior L.) caused by thermal modification in air and steam

Color changes of ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior L.) caused by thermal modification in air and steam. Ash wood samples of 20x20x30 mm were subjected to thermal modification in different conditions. The thermal modification was conducted in air at 190 °C and in steam at 160 °C. For both environments modification lasted 2, 6 and 10 hours. Samples color parameters were measured before and after thermal modification on the basis of the mathematical CIELab color space model. Changes in all parameters (L, a and b) were observed, the highest in lightness (L) - darker color. The total color difference (ΔE) and chromaticity change (ΔC) were calculated for all samples. The highest value of ΔE was obtained for wood modified in the air at 190 °C for 10 h. The highest value of ΔC was obtained for wood modified in steam at 160 °C for 10 h. However, the value obtained for wood modified in the air at 190 °C for 10 h were only slightly lower.

Influence of environment, temperature and time of the thermal modification of ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior L.) on the cellulose weight average degree of polymerization

Influence of environment, temperature and time of the thermal modification of ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior L.) on the cellulose weight average degree of polymerization . Using the size-exclusion chromatography (HPLC SEC) method, the weight average degree of cellulose polymerization was determined. The polymer was isolated by the Kürschner-Hoffer method from ash wood (Fraxinus excelsior L.). The wood was thermally modified in different environments (nitrogen, steam and air) at 190°C and modification times of 2, 6 and 10 hours. Depending on the anaerobic atmosphere used, the highest values of the weight average degree of cellulose polymerization were obtained for the nitrogen environment, followed by steam and air. The effect of modification time on the weight average degree of polymerization was observed. The highest values were obtained for wood modified at 2 hours, then 6 and 10 hours of modification. The native wood showed the highest degree of polymerization. On the basis of the results obtained, it can be concluded that for the material studied the oxidation and degradation reactions occurring depend on the environment and time for a given temperature of wood modification.

Research of the structure and mechanical properties of gas-thermal coatings after induction heat treatment

In this article the process of induction-thermal modification of titanium coatings formed by electroplasma spraying was considered. The influence of the inductor current on the temperature of processed samples was experimentally established. The research results showed that thermal treatment of the samples with titanium coatings at a temperature of 750–1200 °C and a duration of 300 s led to an increase in porosity from 56±2 to 61±1 % and in microhardness from 1035–1532 to 1825–1883 HV0,98, the sprayed layer thickness decreased from 320±30 to 114±15 μm as well. A change of nanoscale structural elements shape was also observed.