AIR1-CT92-0682 Modification of Wood with Environmentally Acceptable Chemicals to Improve its Durability and Dimensional Stability

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AIR Cluster VIII - Wood Products : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Contract No	AIR1-CT92-0682
	Total Cost	687 600
	EC Contribution	250 000
	Start Date	01/01/1993
	Duration	36 months

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OBJECTIVE:

Lignocellulosic material such as wood is known to be strongly upgraded biologically (resistance to fungi and insect attack) and in the same treatment technologically (dimensional stability) when the cell walls are chemically modified. This is known to be successfully done with chemicals which are able to react with the OH-groups forming esters. The most knowledge in this field of research has been built up with acetylation of lignocellulosic material, but other chemicals have potential, too.

One aim of this project therefore is to search novel reactants with ability to modify the susceptible OH-groups of the wooden cell wall. Acetic anhydride, Phtalacidanhydride and other anhydrides, Epichlorhydrin and other acid chlorides, carboxylic acids, isocyanates, alkylchlorides and different epoxides have good potential and will be studied on laboratory scale. Treatment processes will mainly cover liquid phase, but vapour phase treatments will be considered, too. Chemicals with good potential on laboratory scale will be considered for semi-practical scale. Another part of the project will concentrate on the improvement of the method to acetylate wood with uncatalysed acetic anhydride. With this method two partners in the project built up very promising experience on laboratory scale. Therefore the aim of this part is to investigate the parameters for a proper acetylation process. This includes the impregnation procedure, reacting or heating phase, removal and remaining of non-reacted chemicals. For all treatments, practical parameters as : durability, dimensional stability, painting, gluing, further processing of the material will be taken into account.

Only environmental acceptable chemicals will be chosed. Fast growing species and North-European softwood (poplar, pine, spruce) will be chosen for upgrading. Different industrial companies will be involved (BP, producers of impregnation plants, wood preservers, joinery manufactures). They will cooperate closely by bringing in their knowledge and laboratory work and contribute financially to the programme (50% of total programme).

Contacts

Coordinator

• Stichting Hout Research (SHR) Foundation for Timber Research / NETHERLANDS

EC Scientific Officer

• Ignacio SEOANE / European Commission DG Research Theme 1 Key Action 5.3 / BELGIUM

Participant

• Prof Rune SIMONSON / Chalmers University of Technology Department Forest Products / SWEDEN
• Prof Dr Marc STEVENS / Universiteit Gent Dept Laboratorium voor Houttechnologi / BELGIUM