About project

Genesis

Climate warming has been an unquestioned phenomenon within the last 50 years and it may be explained first of all by anthropogenic factors. Use of wood instead of concrete, steel or plastic in the construction industry saves energy and thus reduces emission of CO₂ in the production process. Extension of life for wood products due to appropriate wood protection will facilitate a longer period of carbon capture in wood, i.e. an increase in the pool of bound carbon and a reduction of CO₂ emission. This will limit the greenhouse effect and as a consequence stop the acceleration of climate change. The better protected (preserved) wood is, the longer the period carbon is captured in the wood. Moreover, implementation of novel solutions and wood protection technologies planned within this project will make it possible to use low quality wood material to manufacture high quality products (e.g. construction or cladding materials). In this manner such eco-friendly wood protection will be a key factor reinforcing climate protection. Manufacture of wood products and in this category also ecological wood protection need to be focused on. Wood as a natural polymer and an organic and renewable raw material due to its specific properties (e.g. high strength, elasticity, unparalleled esthetic value), is applied in many sectors of the society. However, the basic problem crucial from the economic point of view, observed during the use of wood in numerous types of applications particularly in broadly understood construction industry, is its susceptibility to the destructive action of abiotic and biotic factors. Wood degradation under the influence of abiotic factors is a major cause for both the limitation of applicability and reduction of lifespan for wood products. Variable weather conditions lead to a deterioration of the dimensional stability of wood. It results in cracks on its surface and promotes development of wood degrading organisms. Stricter toxicological requirements and an increasing ecological awareness of consumers have contributed to decisions to cease production of harmful agents. It is also essential that in view of high registration costs of biocidal products, compounds which are not active substances are gaining in importance. The main overall objective of the project is concentrating on the contribution of wood durability to sustainability through the development of systems for quality assurance and performance classification of eco-friendly treated wood as alternative to wood treated with traditional preservatives and coatings. Wood treatment with bio-preservatives containing biocide-free, but new, eco-friendly ingredients (organosilicones, alkaloids, imidazoles, oils, etc.) is a well mastered alternative method for wood protection. The interest of this multicomponent system is to allow wood coating as well as wood treatment in a single step process. There is a need to work with such a systems in order to adapt the performance of the treated wood (durability towards wood destroying organisms, fireproofing, etc.) to its end use. Most wood defects result from its hydrophilic character, thus organosilicone compounds comprise an important group not only due to their low toxicity, but also exceptional hydrophobic properties. Effectiveness of organosilicone compounds is varied, since it depends on many factors, e.g. the applied treatment method, type and amount of silane as well as the presence of other adjuvants like alkaloid, imidazoles, natural oils or propolis. In view of the above mentioned arguments it was decided to undertake research aiming at the assessment of properties of biocide-free wood protection treatment systems modified with selected organosilicone compounds, alkaloids, imidazoles, natural oils and propolis.

Objective

The main overall objective of the project “Superior bio-friendly systems for enhanced wood durability” is concentrating on the contribution of wood durability to sustainability through the development of systems for quality assurance and performance classification of eco-friendly treated wood as alternative to wood treated with traditional preservatives and coatings. Wood as a natural polymer and an organic and renewable raw material due to its specific properties is applied in many sectors of the society. Wood treatment with bio-preservatives containing biocide-free, but new, eco-friendly ingredients (organosilicones, alkaloids, imidazoles, oils, etc.) is a well mastered alternative method for wood protection. The interest of this multicomponent system is to allow wood coating as well as wood treatment in a single step process. There is a need to work on such a systems in order to adapt the performance of the treated wood to its end use. Moreover, due to its alternative process, the up-grading and use of local timbers in new end-uses become possible and remain also one of the main objectives of this project.

The activities carried out within the framework of the project

Methods for testing and characterizing durability performance against physical as well as biological factors will be optimized. A large and precise environmental analysis (including LCA) will be also carried out during this project, for all stages of the process: from the formulation to the end of the life time of treated timber. The main steps of the project are as follow: a). process optimization by eco additives selection; b). multi scale process optimization; c). grafting lab analysis on wood fibers; d). environmental and societal analysis from the process to the treated timbers. . In project were chosen natural substances as alkaloids, natural oils and propolis and synthetic compounds as selected organosilicone and imidazoles. There were planned works at:

• Obtaining natural substances from plant materials, both from Poland and Norway, using extraction methods developed in the course of the project.
• Development of a method to obtain alkaloids
• Examination of the possibilities of bindings preparations in a variety of configurations with wood and verify their degree of fixation in wood
• It is planned to test entire wood-protection application systems in order to determine such fungicidal, physico-mechanical properties, flammability parameters and surface properties

Research will be conducted at the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Chemical Wood Technology, the Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS) and at the Faculty of Chemistry (Laboratory of the Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds), the Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan (AMU), Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Wood Technology Section.

 

Project structure

Works during the project will be managing by three Work Packages (Work Groups):

• WP 1 (WG 1) – Development of natural and synthetic wood protection systems
• WP 2 (WG 2) – The characteristics of a wood protective systems
• WP 3 (WG 3) – Performance of protective wood systems

A connection between Work Groups is described below:

Compounds and substances obtained through the extraction or synthesis processes in WP1, i.e. alkaloids, propolis, oils, silicones and imidazole, will undergo qualitative chemical analysis. The results of chemical analysis in WP2 will optimize the treatment systems. In case of failure, the previous treatment systems will be returned to WP1 in order to modify their recipes. Another qualitative chemical analysis of a new treatment system will be performed after modification. Mycological screening tests will be carried out for optimized systems. Ineffective treatment systems will be returned to the WP1 for another modification. Selected surface properties will be tested on wood treated with systems showing a biological durability. Depending on the specificity, other properties will be tested for surface analysis – coatings properties, or ability to penetrate into the depths – preservative properties. The next stage of the research will be ageing procedure in WP3. Coatings properties, VOC and LCA analysis will be performed on the selected treatment systems. Systems that do not pass the subsequent elimination will be returned again to the WP1. Coatings or preservative systems which will show any biological resistance will undergo physic-mechanical, hydrophobic and flammable properties. Selected systems will be transferred to WP2 to evaluate a biological activity after aging procedure. Coatings or preservative systems which will show any biological resistance after ageing will be transferred to undergo physic-mechanical, hydrophobic and flammable properties, as well as to investigate the coating properties after aging, VOC and LCA analysis in WP3.

Realizing project “Superior bio-friendly systems for enhanced wood durability” is expected:

• Obtaining natural substances and synthetic compounds which allows to protect wood against biotic and abiotic factors
• Develop new systems protecting wood, which will have optimal effectiveness and ecological properties
• Publishing results in international scientific journals

 

Project partners

Consortium of the project is based on cooperation between three scientific units: Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS) Faculty of Wood Technology (the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Chemical Wood Technology), Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan (AMU) Faculty of Chemistry (Laboratory of the Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds), Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Wood Technology Section.

The Faculty of Wood Technology has almost 20 years’ experience in participation in European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). The special activity was manifested in the Domain of the Forests, their Products and Services (FPS). The Faculty members were active in Management Committees and Working Groups of several COST actions. The activity resulted in cooperation links between scientists of the Faculty and researches from European Universities. The joined projects resulted in scientific papers, textbooks etc. The Faculty of Wood Technology is a member of IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organizations and is in active collaboration with many universities and institutes involved in scientific experimentation and research, both in Poland and abroad. The Faculty has 150 members of staff (excluding PhD students) of which 90 are teachers and 60 are engineering and technical staff. The Faculty offers wood technology studies as university courses. The present number of students of the Faculty is over 750. The research activities of the Faculty concentrate in the following fields: wood science, technological optimization of mechanical wood processing, gluing technology as well as finishing processes, emission of toxic gaseous substances, wood based panels production and properties, rheology of wood and fracture mechanics of wooden structural elements, wood drying, design and optimization of wood constructions and furniture, systems for dust extraction and ventilation, ecological aspects of wood working processes, modification of wood, wood protection and preservation, pulping processes, thermal modification of wood.

The Faculty of Chemistry is one of the biggest Faculties in Poland. It has over 1200 students and almost 100 PhD students. The Faculty employs almost 200 teaching and research workers. The main areas of research activities are related to fundamental science. Research potential of the Faculty is reflected in the list of papers and monographs (over 500 items per year) published in renowned international periodicals, as well as in patents, license contracts and industrial implementations. According to the classification made by the State Committee for Scientific Research the Faculty of Chemistry belongs to the first (i.e. highest) in Poland. Researching is carried out within different groups. The group of the Laboratory of the Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds is included into this consortium. Researchers of this group are concentrated in the following fields:

• Heterocyclic betaines and their complexes with mineral acids

• Structural and spectroscopic studies of zwitterionic molecules

• Numerical reproduction of vibrational and NMR spectra

• Acid-base equilibria in aqueous and organic solutions of the hydrogen-bonding complexes

• Synthesis and structure of mono- and bis-quinolizidine alkaloids.

Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute (NFLI). Expertise: Service life prediction of wood and wooden products, biological deterioration of wood, wood protection, fire protection. Infrastructure: Well-equipped laboratories for wood technology, wood chemistry and mycology. Other resources: areas for field studies of wood durability. The Wood Technology (WT) Section deals with the properties of wood in the broadest sense. The section performs research and development in fields such as wood quality and properties, wood-based products and production processes, timber supply and bioenergy. An important field of research is the development of new, environment-friendly wood protection methods. The section is working on the improvement of existing methods, but is also trying to develop new methods for the testing, evaluation, development and quality assurance of wood protection systems and products. The NFLI is developing a system to ensure the supply, conversion and distribution of wood as an efficient energy carrier. WT is continuously involved in doctoral student training, teaching assignments at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and extensive international research collaboration.