Influence of treatment temperature and duration on selected biological, mechanical, physical and optical properties of thermally modified timber

The impact of heat-treatment temperature (180, 200, 210, 220 and 240°C) and various heat-treatment durations on selected biological, mechanical, optical and physical properties of thermally modified timber (TMT) was determined. The suitability of different measures for prediction of the treatment intensity was also investigated. Resistance to impact milling (RIM), lightness L*, equilibrium moisture content (EMC), and antiswelling efficiency (ASE) were correlated with corresponding fungal resistance achieved by heat treatments. The results show that the decrease in mass by heat treatments is a suitable measurand to describe the treatment intensity, which is a product of treatment temperature and duration, where the impact of temperature is dominant over the impact of time. The properties examined showed a strong reciprocally proportional relationship with the decrease in mass. Different correlations were found for the various treatment temperatures: the higher the temperature applied, the lower the decrease in mass required for an equivalent improvement in certain wood properties, e.g. biological durability, EMC and dimensional stability. However, mass loss by Poria placenta correlated well with RIM, lightness L*, EMC and ASE of the different heat-treated specimens, depending on the heat-treatment temperature. Consequently, a reliable estimation of improved fungal resistance of TMT, as well as quality control of TMT in general, requires certain process information.