Properties of furfurylated wood

Abstract

The first processes of wood modification with furfuryl alcohol (FA) (furfurylation) were developed several decades ago. FA is a renewable chemical, produced from hydrolysed biomass waste. Over the past decade modernized processes for furfurylation of wood have been developed. This study presents decay properties of furfurylated wood. Laboratory methods and field tests were performed on fungi, termite and marine borer attack. Tests on physical and mechanical properties are also presented. The properties of furfurylated wood depend on the retention of grafted/polymerized poly-FA in the wood. At high modification levels (high retention of poly-FA) the enhancement of a wide variety of properties is achieved: an exceptional increase in hardness, exceptional resistance to microbial decay and insect attack, increase in modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity, and high dimensional stability. At lower modification levels property enhancements also occur. Notable are resistance to microbial decay and insect attack, and relatively high dimensional stability.