The majority of the Slovenian wood species has non-durable wood: therefore, there is general interest to overcome this issue. Biocidal preservatives were used in the past for these purposes, mainly. Nowadays, non-biocidal solutions are preferred. Water wax emulsions are one of the potential solutions. To elucidate this potential, several wax emulsions produced by BASF and Samson (montan, polyethylene, oxidized polyethylene wax) were use for impregnation of wood specimens. After 4 weeks of conditioning, spruce wood specimens were exposed to brown rot fungi (Gloeophyllum trabeum, Antrodia vaillantii in Serpula lacrymans) and beech wood blocks exposed to white rot fungi (Trametes versicolor, Hypoxylon fragiforme in Pleurotus ostreatus) according to the EN 113 procedure. After 16 weeks of exposure, specimens were isolated and their mass loss gravimetrically determined. It can be resolved that some of the wax emulsions can protect wood against wood decay fungi, water emulsions of polyethylene wax, being the most effective.
|
