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

Published Date
February 2016, Vol.107:77–87, doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2015.11.010

Author 

• Evren Terzi ^a,
• S. Nami Kartal ^a,,
• Nural Yılgör ^b,
• Lauri Rautkari ^c,
• Tsuyoshi Yoshimura^d,

• aDepartment of Forest Biology and Wood Protection Technology, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University, 34473 Bahcekoy, Istanbul Turkey
• bDepartment of Forest Products Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University, 34473 Bahcekoy, Istanbul, Turkey
• cDepartment of Forest Products Technology, School of Chemical Technologies, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland
• dLaboratory of Innovative Humano-habitability, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, 611-0011 Uji, Kyoto, Japan

Received 2 October 2015. Revised 7 November 2015. Accepted 7 November 2015. Available online 21 November 2015. 

Highlights

• Nano-ZnO showed promising leach resistance compared to the other nano-compounds and it was also slightly effective in decreasing water absorption.
• •
  Nano-CuO and nano-SnO₂ inhibited fungal decay by Trametes versicolor; however, almost all nano-compounds were effective in preventing decay by Gloeophyllum trabeum.
• •
  While Nano-CuO and nano-B₂O₃ well-inhibited termite feeding, nano-ZnO and nano-CeO₂ treatments resulted in only moderate termite resistance.
• •
  Nano-ZnO and nano-B₂O₃ effectively inhibited mold growth.

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Nano-particle

ZnO

B₂O₃

CuO

TiO₂

CeO₂

SnO₂

Biological performance

Weathering

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  Corresponding author.
  
  

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