Durability Of Wood Research Articles

Environmentally friendly protection of European beech against fire and fungal decay using a combination of thermal modification and mineralisation

ABSTRACT The demand for construction timber is continuously increasing, due to its favourable characteristics. However, the adequate protection of wood is key to its successful use, as it is flammable and susceptible to biodegradation. Given that thermal modification enhances the durability of wood, and mineralisation with CaCO3 considerably improves its fire properties, it is worth considering the combined effects of the two methods. European beech (Fagus sylvatica) was selected to determine the effects of a) thermal modification, b) mineralisation through the in-situ formation of CaCO3, and c) a combination of the two procedures, on resistance to decay fungi, reaction to fire and the mechanical properties of the wood. Microscopic analysis and comparisons of the samples before and after exposure to fungi were also conducted. Mineralised wood generally had a slightly alkaline pH value and higher equilibrium moisture content, while thermal modification lowered the equilibrium moisture content. The present study demonstrated the combined effect of thermal modification and mineralisation: the best response to fire as well as resistance to fungi was achieved when the two treatments were combined. Results from the Brinell hardness and three-point bending tests indicate that both modification procedures can slightly impair the mechanical properties of the wood.

Statistical Analysis of Wood Durability Data and Its Effect on a Standardised Classification Scheme

The biological durability of wood is an important property for outdoor applications of wood-based products. In temperate climate zones, the most critical biological hazard is wood-destroying fungi, and the European standard EN 350 in combination with EN 113-2 provide guidance on sampling, testing, and classifying wood durability against brown and white rot fungi. However, in their latest revised versions, both standards recommend the use of probability density functions for fitting mass loss data (ML). Subsequently, the durability of wood and its variability should be further characterised. The aim of this study was to statistically analyse the ML data from laboratory agar plate tests with different European-grown wood species and to examine the effect of different statistical treatments on the standardised classification scheme of wood durability. It was concluded that more precise guidance is needed on the sampling procedure since significant differences in durability exist between stem zones. The assignment of dispersion indicators requires a revision to ensure clear, unmistakable, and reproducible durability classification of wood. Deficits in the description of the proposed statistical treatments in both standards became evident. It can be questioned whether the application of probability density functions provides additional information about the variability of wood durability.

Substituting phenol in phenol–formaldehyde resins for wood modification by phenolic cleavage products from vacuum low-temperature microwave-assisted pyrolysis of softwood kraft lignin

Wood modification by impregnation and curing inside of the cell wall using phenol–formaldehyde resins (PF resins) is a well-known and commercialized method to improve, amongst others, the dimensional stability and the durability of wood. However, phenol is mainly obtained from non-renewable resources, and the substitution of phenol by renewable resources has been a topic of research interest for years. Due to the high availability of technical lignins, lignin-derived cleavage products are promising candidates. In this study, organic cleavage products obtained from vacuum low-temperature microwave-assisted pyrolysis of softwood kraft lignin were used to substitute up to 45% of phenol in PF resins. The curing behavior and the free formaldehyde content of the resins was studied. Pine sapwood was treated with these resins by a vacuum pressure treatment, and the weight percent gain, leaching, and dimensional stability of the species were examined. Selected samples were analyzed with bright-field microscopy. The results indicate that up to 30% substitution of phenol by lignin-based organic products does not lead to significantly inferior quality of wood modification. Additionally, the amount of formaldehyde added to the resin can be reduced. The method described in this study could be a way to improve the environmental footprint of wood modification by PF resins.

Flammability and Acetic Acid Emissions from Acetylated Wood under Well-Ventilated Burning Conditions

Acetylation is a type of commercial wood modification used to enhance the durability of wood. Despite its adoption, especially in outdoor environments, there are mixed data on how acetylation affects the combustion of wood. This paper evaluates the differences in acetylated and untreated wood using a cone calorimeter in combination with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to look for acetic acid vapors in the combustion gases. Two thicknesses of acetylated pine boards were tested and compared against an untreated board from the same genus. No differences were observed between the peak heat release between the acetylated and untreated boards. Likewise, there were no trends in the time to ignition between the acetylated wood and the control group. Differences were observed however in the chemical composition of the combustion products. An increase in acetic acid in the products of combustion was observed for the acetylated samples that corresponded with the peak heat release of the sample.

Effect of Neem Extract on Fungus Inhibition in Toona ciliata M. Roem.

The increasing human population and continuous demands of timber and its derived products like composite wood, has created a significant pressure on the demand for high quality timber from forests. This, ultimately has resulted in pressurising the natural forests and increase in the unvailibility of the production of high quality or durable timber from the forests. The one way to neutralize this pressure on the forests is to modify the other non durable wood species having undesirable properties like hygroscopicity, anisotropy, dimensional instability and biodegradability. Treatment with neem extracts as a biopreservative proves to be very efficient to protect the wood from bacterial or fungal rots. In the present study, wood specimens of Toona ciliata M. Roem. were treated with neem leaf and seed extracts for 72 hours in concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2% (w/v), and analyzed for fungal growth and inhibition on dry weight basis using Polyporous rubidus. The fungal growth was maximum in untreated (control) samples whereas, minimum growth was observed in the neem leaf and seed extracts with 2.00% concentration. This method comes to be one of the most eco-friendly processes of wood preservation and helps in utilization of Toon wood in more effective and sustainable way. Also, the minimal release of harmful chemicals in the environment, helps to widen the industrial applications of Toona ciliata wood and make its acceptance to the society with ease.

Development of extraction methodology for identification of extractive-compounds indexing natural durability of selected wood species

ABSTRACT This study is concerned with establishing a uniform experimental protocol for the determination of phenolic extractives, which play an essential role in the durability of the wood of selected species included in the field tests. European larch (Larix decidua), Norway spruce (Picea abies), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), European oak (Quercus sp.), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) were included in the study. Extraction yield data were collected for extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus using common polar extraction solvents (ethanol, acetone, methanol, water) and for single static extraction cycles in accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). The suitability of the solvents and the appropriate extraction conditions were evaluated based on the results of gravimetric analysis of hydrophilic extractives, spectrophotometric analysis of total phenols, and chromatographic analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography. Extraction in the ASE system with methanol proved to be a quick and accurate way to prepare samples for chemical analysis of extractives of selected wood species. With the chemical monitoring of targeted phenolic extractives in wood subjected to leaching, we propose a novel protocol suitable also for for measuring the effects of weathering on the natural durability of wood in future studies.

Gelam Wood (Melaleuca cajuputi Powell) as a Substructure Construction Material

Gelam wood (Melaleuca cajuputi Powell) which is widely used for substructure construction materials in South Kalimantan is classified into strong class II and durable wood class III. This study aims to provide more detailed information regarding what forms of use of gelam wood as substructure construction material and why gelam wood was chosen for it. This information will later be able to support the preparation of future utilization plans for the use of gelam wood considering that currently gelam wood is starting to decrease in availability. The method to identified the use of gelam wood as a substructure construction material is field survey method combine with other references. Gelam wood with a large diameter of 10-12 cm and a length of 4 m is generally used as a construction foundation for 1-storey building with an ultimate bearing capacity of 729,25 kg for single pile foundation. In terms of cost, the foundation with gelam wood material is cheaper than the mini-pile concrete foundation for the construction of the same building. The large size of gelam wood is also used as sheet pile or retaining wall with an average flexural strength of 100,13 MPa. The small size of gelam wood is generally used as wooden scaffolding where the cost of gelam wood scaffolding is 26.85% cheaper than iron scaffolding in the rental price, and 15 times the cost of the iron scaffold in the purchase price.

Wood Degradation by Fomitiporia mediterranea M. Fischer: Exploring Fungal Adaptation Using Metabolomic Networking

Fomitiporia mediterranea M. Fischer (Fmed) is a white-rot wood-decaying fungus associated with one of the most important and challenging diseases in vineyards: Esca. To relieve microbial degradation, woody plants, including Vitis vinifera, use structural and chemical weapons. Lignin is the most recalcitrant of the wood cell wall structural compounds and contributes to wood durability. Extractives are constitutive or de novo synthesized specialized metabolites that are not covalently bound to wood cell walls and are often associated with antimicrobial properties. Fmed is able to mineralize lignin and detoxify toxic wood extractives, thanks to enzymes such as laccases and peroxidases. Grapevine wood's chemical composition could be involved in Fmed's adaptation to its substrate. This study aimed at deciphering if Fmed uses specific mechanisms to degrade grapevine wood structure and extractives. Three different wood species, grapevine, beech, and oak. were exposed to fungal degradation by two Fmed strains. The well-studied white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor (Tver) was used as a comparison model. A simultaneous degradation pattern was shown for Fmed in the three degraded wood species. Wood mass loss after 7 months for the two fungal species was the highest with low-density oak wood. For the latter wood species, radical differences in initial wood density were observed. No differences between grapevine or beech wood degradation rates were observed after degradation by Fmed or by Tver. Contrary to the Tver secretome, one manganese peroxidase isoform (MnP2l, jgi protein ID 145801) was the most abundant in the Fmed secretome on grapevine wood only. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis was conducted on wood and mycelium samples, using metabolomic networking and public databases (GNPS, MS-DIAL) for metabolite annotations. Chemical differences between non-degraded and degraded woods, and between mycelia grown on different wood species, are discussed. This study highlights Fmed physiological, proteomic and metabolomic traits during wood degradation and thus contributes to a better understanding of its wood degradation mechanisms.

SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE DURABILITY OF THREE INFERIOR WOOD SPECIES COLLECTED FROM INDONESIAN NEW GUINEA COATED WITH TWO COATING SYSTEMS

Wood is very susceptible material from termite attacks. A simple, cheapest method to prevent this attack is coating treatment. On this work, three inferior wood species collected from Manokwari – Papua Barat, namely Pulai (Alstonia scholaris), Binuang (Octomeles sumatrana), and Jambu (Syzygium sp.) were coated with two coating systems of oiled and water- based coatings. Coating was applied using paint brush on wood samples with dimensions, 50 cm long x 5 cm wide x 2.5 cm thick. Durability was conducting with grave yard test, where half-length of wood samples, coated and uncoated samples, were buried on the yard for the three consecutive months. Wood durability was evaluated using two variables, wood weight loss, and wood damage, respectively, and analyses into other variables likes wood resistance class, level of resistance, degree of damage, and natural durability classes. The results indicated that both coated systems, oiled and water based, had an average of spreading rates from 0.005-0.015 g/cm2. Weight loss of three inferior species of wood recorded from the control samples are 38.65%, 12.12%, and 6.14% for Pulai, Binuang and Jambu. Treatment with coating systems, weight loss could be prevented into 95.1%, 58.2% and 56.0% to control for Pulai, Binuang and Jambu, respectively. Wood resistance class of Pulai is IV. Binuang and jambu species initially is Moderate Resistant (III) and improve into Resistant (II). It is summarized that coating systems available in the local market could protect wood from subterranean termites.

Fast-Growing Wood-Polymer Nano Composite Characteristics through Nano-SiO2 Impregnation

Ganitri (Elaeocarpus sphaericus (Gaertn.) K. Schum.) and jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) are fast-growing wood species that have low strength and durability class. One of methods for improving the characteristics of ganitri and jabon woods is impregnation. This study objectives were to analyze the effect of impregnation of Melamine Formaldehyde Furfuryl Alcohol (MFFA) copolymer and 0.5% Nano-SiO2 on the physical, mechanical and durability properties of ganitri and jabon woods. The impregnation process was carried out by applying a 0.5 bar vacuum for 1 hour and followed by 2 bar pressure for 2 hours. The results showed that impregnation with MFFA and Nano-SiO2 could improve optimally the physical and mechanical properties and durability of fast-growing woods

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

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.

The corewood of 25-year-old Hevea brasiliensis from two rubber plantations has high starch content

In Brazil after 25 to 30 years of rubber production, when yield starts to drop, rubber trees are felled and destined for firewood and charcoal, despite the good mechanical properties and workability of the wood, and relatively low production costs. Wood with low starch content could be destined for the production of higher added-value products with potential to spare deforestation of many native forest species, but in rubberwood, starch increases palatability by wood borers and accelerates fungal degradation, thus compromising wood durability and the quality of timber. The aim of this study is to determine whether removal of the outer part of wood or varying the season of logging would result in wood with lower starch content. We measured the content of starch using enzymatic hydrolysis, the radial distribution of starch grains by light microscopy, and the corresponding seasonal variation of starch in 25-year-old felled trees. Rubberwood had large amount of starch in its entire trunk, increasing from the inner to the outer region, before decreasing in the outermost sapwood. Starch content was lower in summer, although higher than in other timber species. After relating the data to a comprehensive bibliographic survey of starch quantification in rubberwood, it was concluded that there are no technological arguments to destine the inner part of rubber tree trunks to the production of higher value products.

Biological Deterioration and Natural Durability of Wood in Europe

In recent years, the use of wood has gained social interest, leading to a global increase in its demand. Yet, this demand is often covered by the production of woods of low natural durability against biological deterioration. The main biological agents with the potential to attack the structural integrity of wood are wood-decay fungi, saproxylic beetles, termites, and marine molluscs and crustaceans. In most circumstances, fungi are the main wood-deteriorating agents. To attack the cell wall, wood-decay fungi combine a complex enzymatic mechanism with non-enzymatic mechanisms based on low-molecular-weight compounds. In some cases, the larvae of saproxylic beetles can also digest cell wood components, causing serious deterioration to wooden structures. The impact of subterranean termites in Europe is concentrated in the Southern countries, causing important economic losses. However, alien invasive species of voracious subterranean termites are expanding their presence in Europe. Wooden elements in permanent contact with marine water can be readily deteriorated by mollusc and crustacean borers, for which current preservatives lack efficacy. The natural durability of wood is defined as the inherent resistance of wood to catastrophic action by wood-destroying organisms. Besides exposure to the climate, product design and use conditions, the natural durability of wood is key to the prediction of the service life of wooden products, which can be shortened due to the impact of global change. The major wood properties involved in natural durability are related to the composition of lignin in the cell wall, the anatomy of the xylem, nutrient availability, the amount and composition of heartwood extractives, and the presence of moisture-regulating components since wood moisture content influences the establishment of wood-degrading organisms.

Chemical, Crystallinity and Morphological Changes of Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg.) Hydrothermally Treated in Different Buffered Media

Hydrothermal treatment is an efficient and environmentally friendly method of enhancing the dimensional stability and durability of wood. The destructive effects of formic and acetic acids generated during thermal treatment, on the other hand, are known to have a negative impact on wood strength. As a result, hydrothermal treatment in different buffered media (acidic, neutral, and alkaline buffer) was performed in this study to mitigate the effects of the acids. As heating media, acidic buffer (pH 4 and 6), alkaline buffer (pH 8 and 10), and tap water (pH 7.43) were used to treat rubberwood at three different temperatures (160 °C, 180 °C, and 200 °C). The effects of different buffered media and treatment temperatures on the chemical components, crystallinity, and morphological changes in treated and untreated rubberwood were studied. The results of the experiments revealed that the chemical constituents of rubberwood changed along with the pH of the buffered media and treatment temperature. Rubberwood treated in alkaline media showed the least degradation, whereas water medium caused the most severe degradation. The crystallinity of wood increased initially (from 160 to 180 °C) and then decreased further at 200 °C. In addition, minimal damage to the wood cell was observed in an alkaline medium.

Activated wood surface and functionalized cellulose co-building strong chemical wood bonding performance

Herein, an activated wood surface rich in CHO groups was constructed by spraying a sodium periodate aqueous solution on a natural wood surface. Besides, microcrystalline cellulose was functionalized to obtain aminated cellulose, which was dissolved in an aqueous solution and used as a specific adhesive. Subsequently, an ultrastrong wood bonding interface was co-constructed with the activated wood surface and aminated cellulose, which was formed by a chemical covalent reaction between aldehyde groups at the activated wood interface and amino groups on aminated cellulose. The dry, hot-water, and boiling-water lap shear strengths of the plywood specimens were 1.47, 1.07, and 1.08 MPa, respectively. The boiling-water strength of the plywood made from the activated wood surface achieved increased to 1.08 MPa from 0 MPa of the plywood constructed on the nonactivated wood surface. The chemical crosslinking reaction and bonding mechanism between the adhesive and activated wood surface were clarified by density functional theory calculations, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that chemical bonding (aminal NCN and imine CN) at the bonding interface played an important part in improving the water resistance and bonding strength. This work provides new concepts for designing durable and moisture-resistant wood products.

Genetic architecture of terpene chemistry and growth traits and the impact of inbreeding on these traits in western redcedar (Thuja plicata).

Western redcedar (WRC; Thuja plicata) is a conifer of the Pacific Northwest of North America prized for its durable and rot-resistant wood. WRC has naturally low outcrossing rates and readily self-fertilizes in nature. Challenges faced in WRC breeding and propagation involve selecting trees for accelerated growth while also ensuring enhanced heartwood rot resistance and resistance to ungulate browsing, as well as mitigating potential effects of inbreeding depression. Terpenes, a large and diverse class of specialized metabolites, confer both rot and browse resistance in the wood and foliage of WRC, respectively. Using a Bayesian modelling approach, we isolated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers estimated to be associated with three different foliar terpene traits and four different heartwood terpene traits, as well as two growth traits. We found that all traits were complex, being associated with between 1700 and 3600 SNPs linked with putatively causal loci, with significant polygenic components. Growth traits tended to have a larger polygenic component while terpene traits had larger major gene components; SNPs with small or polygenic effect were spread across the genome, while larger-effect SNPs tended to be localized to specific linkage groups. To determine whether there was inbreeding depression for terpene chemistry or growth traits, we used mixed linear models for a genomic selection training population to estimate the effect of the inbreeding coefficient F on foliar terpenes, heartwood terpenes and several growth and dendrochronological traits. We did not find significant inbreeding depression for any assessed trait. We further assessed inbreeding depression across four generations of complete selfing and found that not only was inbreeding depression not significant but that selection for height growth was the only significant predictor for growth during selfing, suggesting that inbreeding depression due to selfing during operational breeding can be mitigated by increased selection intensity.

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Ekstrak Daun Eboni dan Daun Sirsak Terhadap Retensi Bahan Pengawet pada Kayu Durian (Durio zibethinus)

Durian wood is one type of wood that has a low level of durability, therefore it is necessary to make efforts to increase the durability of wood. These efforts can be done by preserving the durian wood by using natural preservatives, namely ebony leaves extract and soursop leaves. Ebony and soursop leaves extracts were used as natural preservatives with different concentrations using the cold soak method on durian wood. The research conducted aims to determine the effect of extract concentration on the retention of preservatives. Ebony leaves and soursop leaves were extracted by maceration method in 96% ethanol solvent for 24 hours. The durian wood sample was preserved using the cold soaking method for 1 hour using ebony leaves extract and soursop leaves extract at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%. The results showed that the highest retention of preservatives from ebony leaves extract and soursop leaves extract was the use of 3% concentrations of 0.661 kg/m³ and 0.676 kg/m³, respectively. The results of the analysis of variance showed that the extract concentration had a significant effect on the retention value. The concentration of preservatives from ebony leaves extract and soursop leaves is directly proportional to the retention value of preservatives. Preservative retention of soursop leaves extract is better than ebony leaves extract.

Durability and wettability of varnishes on the modified and aged surfaces of short rotation teak wood

PurposeThe surface characteristics of thermally and chemically modified wood, such as surface roughness, surface free energy (SFE) and wettability, are important properties that influence further manufacturing processes such as gluing and coating. The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of the surface roughness of thermally and chemically modified teak wood on their SFE, wettability and bonding quality for water-based acrylic and solvent-based alkyd varnishes. In addition, durability against subterranean termites in the field of these modified teak woods was also investigated to give a valuable information for their further application.Design/methodology/approachThe woods tested in this study were fast-growing teak woods that were prepared in untreated and treated with furfuryl alcohol (FA), glycerol maleic anhydride (GMA) and thermal. SFE values were calculated using the Rabel method. The wettability values were measured based on the contact angle between varnish liquids and wood surfaces using the sessile drop method, and the Shi and Gardner model model was used to evaluate the wettability of the varnishes on the wood surface. The bonding quality of the varnishes was measured using a cross-cut test based on ASTM 3359-17 standard. In addition, durability against subterranean termites in the field of these modified teak woods was also investigated according to ASTM D 1758-06.FindingsThe results showed that furfurylated and GMA-thermal 220°C improved the durability of teak wood against termites. The furfurylated teak wood had the roughest surface with an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) value of 15.65 µm before aging and 27.11 µm after aging. The GMA-thermal 220°C treated teak wood was the smoothest surface with Ra value of 6.44 µm before aging and 13.75 µm after aging. Untreated teak wood had the highest SFE value of 46.90 and 57.37 mJ/m2 before and after aging, respectively. The K values of untreated and treated teak wood increased owing to the aging treatment. The K values for the water-based acrylic varnish were lower than that of the solvent-based alkyd varnish. The untreated teak wood with the highest SFE produced the highest bonding quality (grades 4–5) for both acrylic and alkyd varnishes. The solvent-based alkyd varnish was more wettable and generated better bonding quality than the water-based acrylic varnish.Originality/valueThe originality of this research work is that it provides evaluation values of the durability and SFE. The SFE value can be used to quantitatively determine the wettability of paint liquids on the surface of wood and its varnish bonding quality.

Mold growth on spruce and pine samples in steady state conditions: Time of germination and maximum coverage

Wood is a material that is environmentally friendly and has minimal carbon impact. The durability of wood depends on ambient environmental conditions. This article deals with mold growth on wood samples under constant relative humidity (75 %; 87 %; 95 % RH) and temperature (23 °C). Pine and spruce samples with surfaces oriented along the three principal anatomical directions of wood were prepared. The occurrence of mold was studied by regular microscopic observations. The mold consortium was a mixture of Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Alternaria sp.The first signs of mold growth on pinewere observed after 7 days for 87 % RH and 12 days for 95 % RH, regardless the surface orientation. Molds on spruce began to grow in 12 to 26 days at 95 % RH in dependence on surface orientation: at first on tangential surface, then on transversal surface, and finally on radial surface. The lower relative humidity of 87 % resulted in a shorter germination time: 7 days for tangential and radial surfaces, and 21 days for transversal surface.

Alumina as an Antifungal Agent for Pinus elliottii Wood.

This work deals with the durability of a Pinus elliotti wood impregnated with alumina (Al2O3) particles. The samples were impregnated at three different Al2O3 weight fractions (c.a. 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%) and were then exposed to two wood-rot fungi, namely white-rot fungus (Trametes versicolor) and brown-rot fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum). Thermal and chemical characteristics were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric (TG) analyses. The wood which incorporated 0.3 wt% of Al2O3 presented a weight loss 91.5% smaller than the untreated wood after being exposed to the white-rot fungus. On the other hand, the highest effectiveness against the brown-rot fungus was reached by the wood treated with 5 wt% of Al2O3, which presented a mass loss 91.6% smaller than that of the untreated pine wood. The Al2O3-treated woods presented higher antifungal resistances than the untreated ones in a way that: the higher the Al2O3 content, the higher the thermal stability. In general, the impregnation of the Al2O3 particles seems to be a promising treatment for wood protection against both studied wood-rot fungi. Additionally, both FT-IR and TG results were valuable tools to ascertain chemical changes ascribed to fungal decay.