Resistance of Cunninghamia lanceolata Wood Against White-rot Fungi by Using Thermo-Mechanical Treatment

Abstract

Heat treatment is an effective method to enhance the biological durability of wood without the use of preservatives. This study aims to analyze the effect of thermo-mechanical treatment on the durability of wood against the attack of some white rot fungi. The central composite design (CCD) method with the help of Design Expert 12.0 software was used to investigate the effects of temperature, compression time, and compression ratio on the white rot fungus resistance of Cunninghamia lanceolata wood. The obtained results revealed that the thermo-mechanical treatment of Cunninghamia lanceolata samples showed improved antifungal resistance compared to the untreated ones. After 4 months of testing in laboratory conditions, all wood samples with heat-mechanical treatment showed better resistance to fungi. Moreover, the different temperatures, compression ratios, and compression time bring out the different mass loss rates. The obtained results indicate that the wood samples modified at the temperature of 200°C, and 0.6 min/mm thickness combined with the compression ratio ranging from 40÷42% gave the lowest loss rate. Particularly, the resistance test for Lentinula edodes gives the best results when the wood compression time is at 0.7 min/mm thickness. Also, this work would provide a scientific and theoretical basis for the relationship between thermo-mechanical treatment and the biological durability of Cunninghamia lanceolata wood.