Wood is a material widely used in manufacturing and construction due to its excellent mechanical properties, flexibility, low density and low cost. It is composed of cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose with a small amount of other components such as polyphenols, tannins, waxes and starch. Its properties can be adapted to the environment in which it is used through various chemical processes such as mineralization, wood coating and heat treatment. Mineralization is the impregnation of the wood structure with a mineral that, through its bonding, can modify the wood's properties, such as mechanical strength or flame resistance. Thermal treatment involves treating the wood at high temperatures, which can improve dimensional stability and rot resistance, but in most cases degrades mechanical properties. Wood can be coated with paints, varnishes, or stains that can protect the wood either by penetrating the cell wall or by forming a film on the wood surface. A wood coating can make the wood more resistant to burning. When gluing wood in construction, it is important that the wood remains in contact in different environments, that we use a strong enough adhesive for wooden beams, but we can also use weaker adhesives when assembling furniture. Wood can change its mechanical properties after modification. It is important we know its mechanical properties, they are determined by standardized methods. The main problem with wood is its flammability. It must be properly protected to reduce the risk of fire in situations with high fire risk. This can be done mainly by mineralization or wood coating, and in my work I have mainly explored more ecological and sustainable methods. These include, for example, mineralisation with calcium carbonate or struvite, coating with a multifunctional coating based on an interpenetrating network system of CO₂-polyurethane and natural bio-based benzoxazine or preparing bioinspired mineralized wood hydrogel composites.
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