In the garden of the Department of Wood Science and Technology, wa model object was build in order to set-monitored-evaluate the service life of the wood in outdoor applications. We focused on domestic wood species, which can be protected in several ways. This can be performed with proper installation, and particularly with proper impregnation of wood or modification. This facility is build of the most important domestic species. Some of them are protected with the biocidal product Silvanolin, wax emulsion Silvacera or thermally modified procedure Silvapro. For comparison, we installed a parallel not durable and durable wood that is subject to decay. Overall, in the house 24 different materials are used. All pieces of wood are numbered. On only those we regularly monitor the humidity, color and fungal colonistaion of wood.
F.17 Transfer of existing technologies, know-how, methods and procedures into practice
In the frame of the visit in Oregon State University, Miha Humar introduced students, PhD students and employees the ongoing research work on the field of the protection of wood with hydrophobic agents.
B.05 Guest lecturer at an institute/university
COBISS.SI-ID: 2091145MSc thesis avarded withe Prešern avard from Biotechnical faculty: Wood is a natural material, which is now increasingly used for construction purposes. As all wood species are not sufficiently durable, they should be adequately protected. In our study, we used non-durable Norway spruce, and protected it with non-biocidal products. Spruce was impregnated with a suspension of natural wax, and then thermally modified. The thermal modification was carried out at different temperatures 100 °C, 185 °C, 200 °C, 215 °C and 230 °C. This was followed by the impregnation with the natural wax, which was carried out by 2 methods (immersion and vacuum pressure impregnation), at 2 different concentrations (2.5 % and 5 %). We studied how the thermal modification, the manner of impregnation and the concentration of wax affect the uptake of water vapour, the mechanical properties and resistance to fungi. It has been shown that the thermal modification has a greater impact on the mass loss of the samples, and thus the deterioration of the mechanical properties of wood, but has a positive influence on the resistance to fungi. On the uptake of water vapour, both of the concentrations could be slowed down with proper wax treatment, but for better protection it would be preferred to use the 5 % concentration. More important than the use of concentration is the use of impregnation of wood, in which the vacuum pressure proved to be better
D.10 Educational activities
COBISS.SI-ID: 2434953Forest and wood In the frame of the Scientific meeting Fores and wood, Miha Humar and Hojka Kraigher co organised scientific conference, where young researchers present their attachments to scientific community. Meeting was organised in the years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 279589376One of the aims of this project was to elucidate how water exclusion efficacy influenced the performance of wood in outdoor applications. This proof was tested in laboratory and we want to test in in real applications as well. Therefore we monitored MC in object made of thermally modified wood (the first one in Slovenia, that was established in 2006). This enables us to prove the concept in real conditions.
F.04 Increase of the technological level
COBISS.SI-ID: 2458761