Role of various nano-particles in prevention of fungal decay, mold growth and termite attack. in wood, and their effect on weathering properties and water repellency


Terzi E., Kartal S. N., Yilgor N., RAUTKARI L., Yoshimura T.

INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION, cilt.107, ss.77-87, 2016 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Özet

The resistance of Scots pine wood vacuum-treated with nano-particles of ZnO, B2O3, CuO, TiO2, CeO2, and SnO2 against decay, mold fungi and subterranean termites was evaluated. Weathering and water absorption properties were also studied. Nano-ZnO only was resistant against leaching, while the other compounds leached out from wood specimens at more than 60% release rates. Mold growth in wood specimens was significantly inhibited by treatment with nano-ZnO and nano-B2O3. In Petri dishes, all mold fungi were also inhibited by nano-ZnO and nano-B2O3; however, nano-SnO2 inhibited Trichoderma harzianum growth only. Weight loss from fungal attack by the brown-rot fungus was significantly inhibited by all nano-compounds tested, except for leached specimens of nano-B2O3 treatments. Considerably higher weight losses were obtained in decay resistance tests by the white rot fungus; only nano-CuO and nano-SnO2 were effective against this fungus. Nano-CuO and nano B2O3 treatments produced favorable termite resistance in both weathered and unweathered specimens, while nano-ZnO and nano-CeO2 resulted in decreased weight loss in specimens exposed to termites. Nano-ZnO was slightly effective in decreasing water absorption. Exposing untreated wood specimens to artificial weathering resulted in significant changes in the chemical structure as determined by FT-IR analysis; however, weathering effect was somewhat decreased by the incorporation of the nano-compounds. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.