Decay, insect, and termite resistance of wood modified with epoxidized vegetable oils

Samples of Scots pine sapwood were treated withepoxidized linseed and soybean oils to improve decay, insectand termite resistance of wood. Non-epoxidized (raw) linseedand soybean oils were included as reference treatment in thestudy. In the epoxidation process, hydrogen peroxide wasused to open double bounds, and acetic acid was added as acatalyst. Two retention levels, Ret A (80-140 kg m-3) and Ret B(170-270 kg m-3), two impregnation methods (full cell andempty cell) and emulsion technique were used. Samplestreated with epoxidized oils had significantly lower masslosses than untreated samples while epoxidized oils showedhigher mass losses than unepoxidized oils for Coniophoraputeana and Trametes versicolor according to EN 113 for decaytest. By adding boron, fungicidal properties were introducedto the treatment. All the vegetable oils showed 100% themortality rate against larvae of Hylotrupes bajulus accordingto EN 47. Moreover, leached wood samples treated with oilsalso showed 100% larvae mortality. Additionally, termitetesting based on EN 117 revealed 100% Reticulitermes lucifugus mortality for all leached oil treated samples.