Tightening formaldehyde emission limits and the need for more sustainable materials have boosted research towards alternatives to urea-formaldehyde adhesives for wood-based panels. Lignin residues from biorefineries consist of a growing raw material source but lack reactivity. Two crosslinkers were tested for ammonium lignosulfonate (ALS)—bio-based furfuryl alcohol (FOH) and synthetic polymeric 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI). The addition of mimosa tannin to ALS before crosslinking was also evaluated. The derived ALS adhesives were used for gluing 2-layered veneer samples and particleboards. Differential Scanning Calorimetry showed a reduction of curing temperature and heat for the samples with crosslinkers. Light microscopy showed that the FOH crosslinked samples had thicker bondlines and higher penetration, which occurred mainly through vessels. Tensile shear strength values of 2-layered veneer samples glued with crosslinked ALS adhesives were at the same level as the melamine reinforced urea-formaldehyde (UmF) reference. For particleboards, the FOH crosslinked samples showed a significant decrease in mechanical properties (internal bond (IB), modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR)) and thickness swelling. For pMDI crosslinked samples, these properties increased compared to the UmF. Although the FOH crosslinked ALS samples can be classified as non-added-formaldehyde adhesives, their emissions were higher than what can be expected to be sourced from the particles.

Conventional chemical wood preservatives have been banned or restricted in some applications due to human and animal toxicity and their adverse impact on the surrounding environment. New, low-environmental-impact wood treatments that still provide effective protection systems are needed to protect wood. Thermal modification of wood could reduce hygroscopicity, improve dimensional stability and enhance resistance to mold attack. The aim of this study was to investigate if these properties enhanced in thermally modified (TM) wood through treatments with oils. In this study, TM European aspen (Populus tremula) and downy birch (Betula pubescens) wood were impregnated with three different types of oil: water-miscible commercial Elit Träskydd (Beckers oil with propiconazole and 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate, IPBC), a pine tar formulation and 100% tung oil. The properties of oil-impregnated wood investigated were water repellency, dimensional stability and mold susceptibility. The treated wood, especially with pine tar and tung oil, showed an increase in water repellency and dimensional stability. However, Beckers oil which contains biocides like propiconazole and IPBC showed better protection against mold compared with pine tar and tung oil. To enhance the dimensional stability of the wood, pine tar and tung oil can be used, but these oil treatments did not significantly improve mold resistance rather sometimes enhanced the mold growth, whereas a significant anti-mold effect was observed on Beckers oil treated samples.

Polyurethane (PU) adhesives were prepared with bio-polyols obtained via acid-catalyzed polyhydric alcohol liquefaction of wood sawdust and polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI). Two polyols, i.e., crude and purified liquefied wood (CLW and PLW), were obtained from the liquefaction process with a high yield of 99.7%. PU adhesives, namely CLWPU and PLWPU, were then prepared by reaction of CLW or PLW with pMDI at various isocyanate to hydroxyl group (NCO:OH) molar ratios of 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1, and 2:1. The chemical structure and thermal behavior of the bio-polyols and the cured PU adhesives were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Performance of the adhesives was evaluated by single-lap joint shear tests according to EN 302-1:2003, and by adhesive penetration. The highest shear strength was found at the NCO:OH molar ratio of 1.5:1 as 4.82 ± 1.01 N/mm² and 4.80 ± 0.49 N/mm² for CLWPU and PLWPU, respectively. The chemical structure and thermal properties of the cured CLWPU and PLWPU adhesives were considerably influenced by the NCO:OH molar ratio.

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is increasingly used in building construction worldwide. Durability of CLT against fungal attack has yet to be fully explored. Water intrusion in mass timber can yield dimensional changes and microbial growth. This study evaluated the performance of CLT coated with various water- and solvent-based stains commercially available in the United States. Twelve coatings were tested for moisture excluding effectiveness, water repellency effectiveness, volumetric swelling, and anti-swelling efficiency. Only five coatings repelled water, limiting dimensional changes. A modified version of AWPA E10-16 (2016) was performed to evaluate decay of the coated CLT samples. Weight losses were recorded after 18 weeks’ exposure to the brown-rot decay fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum. In accelerated mold testing, coated CLT samples were grown in chambers containing spores of Aspergillus sp., Rhizopus sp., and Penicillium sp. for 29 d and assessed visually for mold growth. In both tests, coating C (transparent, water-based, alkyd/acrylic resin) performed the best among the tested coatings. Mold growth was completely prevented, and weight loss caused by G. trabeum was approximately 1.33%. Although coating C prevented decay for 18 weeks, coatings are not intended to protect against decay fungi. However, they may offer short-term protection during transport, storage, and construction.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sapwood lumber was collected after kiln drying and preservative treatment with Celcure AC 800 (a copper-amine wood preservative). Distribution of the preservative throughout the lumber was visually examined. Not all, but some samples showed specific localized areas without any preservative distribution throughout their entire length. Those samples were assessed further for anatomical properties, specifically in impregnated and unimpregnated areas. Additional study was conducted on the morphological nature and redistribution of lipophilic extractives using three different histochemical staining methods. Intrinsic wood properties – especially the frequency of axial resin canals and the percentage of canals blocked – were found to be responsible for the irregular distribution of the preservative. Furthermore, the inability to create continuous and frequent interstitial spaces due to the collapse of thin-walled ray cells throughout the lumber resulted in un-even distribution of preservatives. Staining techniques were useful to localize places with more or less abundance of extractives (e.g., fats) in impregnated and unimpregnated wood, which varied considerably. Histochemical observations revealed information pertaining to the kiln dry specific distribution and redistribution of extractives between the areas. Moreover, resin reallocation and modification in ray parenchyma and resin canals induced by kiln drying would be another reason for the impregnation anomalies.