Decay of Populus cathay Treated with Paraffin Wax Emulsion and Copper Azole Compound

Abstract

In order to investigate the decay process of wood treated with preservative, waterproofing agent and their compound systems, a full-cell process was applied to impregnate the sapwood of poplar (Populus cathay) at paraffin wax emulsion concentrations of 0.5% and 2.0%, Copper Azole (CA) concentrations of 0.3% and 0.5%, and their four compound systems, respectively. Leaching tests and laboratory decay resistance against the white-rot fungus Corious versicolor (L.) Murrill for treated wood were carried out according to the America Standard E11-06 and China Standard GB/T 13942.1-2009. At certain time intervals during the decay test, samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) to investigate the time-dependent changes of chemical components and crystalline structure, thus clarifying the decay mechanisms. The results suggested that white-rot fungi degrade hemicellulose and lignin in the wood cell wall first, followed by a simultaneous degradation of polysaccharides and lignin. Besides, CA could not only slower the decomposition of both hemicellulose and lignin, but also reduce the degradation amount of hemicellulose. However, paraffin wax emulsion at high concentration had a negative effect on the impregnation of CA for the compound system treated wood.