There is an increasing trend in the use of environmentally-friendly materials in wood protection. This includes the use of less toxic active ingredients, as well as better fixation. This study investigates the formulation based on the combination of copper and Saqez resin on the physical and biological resistance properties of poplar wood. Samples were treated by either copper-ethanolamine (Cu/MEA) and/or Saqez resin at various treatment levels. A vacuum pressure procedure was applied. The retention, weight percent gain, water absorption, volumetric swelling, and decay resistance of the samples were then determined. The highest retention and weight percent gain were obtained in the samples treated with the combination of copper-based system and Saqez resin. Additionally, the combination of the copper and Saqez improved the physical properties and decay-resistance against white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of thermal modification on the physical and mechanical properties of three different wood species from Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.), linden wood (Tilia cordata), and silver fir wood (Abies alba). The samples underwent thermal modification at five different temperatures (170 °C, 180 °C, 195 °C, 210 °C, and 220 °C) for varying durations (ranging from 78 to 276 min). After treatment, they were exposed to outdoor conditions for twelve months. The study examined the four-point bending strength, tensile force, color change, and surface quality of the modified and unmodified samples. The results showed that outdoor exposure negatively impacted the mechanical properties of the unmodified samples, especially in the linden wood which was 41% and the beech wood which was 42%. Additionally, outdoor exposure caused significant surface cracks in the thermally modified linden and beech wood. The study also found prominent color changes in the modified and unmodified samples during twelve months of exposure. The roughness of the samples was determined with a confocal laser scanning microscope, which showed that the roughness increased on both the axial and the longitudinal surfaces after weathering. The highest roughness for the fir wood was determined to be 15.6 µm. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of wood modification and its impact on the use-value of wood products.

In order to meet the industrial demand for improving the durability and high-value utilization of bamboo materials, this study constructed a gradient carbonization technology system based on wax-oil medium. Firstly, synergistic optimization was achieved by the three-stage process design of “pretreatment-gradient heating-insulation”. The process constructed a weather-resistant barrier on the surface of bamboo and maintained the mechanical properties of the internal fibers. Secondly, the closed wax oil recycling system realizes efficient recovery of media and low emission of pollutants, which greatly improves the environmental friendliness of the treatment process. Finally, the gradient heating strategy for the anatomical heterogeneity of bamboo effectively regulated the pyrolysis reaction and improved the uniformity and structural stability of carbonization. This study breaks through the limitations of traditional single carbonization thermal modification and innovatively proposes a synergistic modification mechanism of “composite medium function, gradient process regulation, and structural design bionics”, which provides an efficient and environmentally friendly technological path for the long-term application of bamboo materials.