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Improvement of water resistance, dimensional stability, and decay resistance of pine wood by the incorporation of polyvinyl chloride-abietic acid copolymer with Ag nanoparticles
* 1 , 2
1  Forest Industry Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Bartın University, 74100 Bartın, Turkey
2  Department of Aircraft Airframe Engine Maintenance, Kapadokya University, Urgup, 50420 Nevsehir, Turkey Department of Chemistry, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, 67100 Zonguldak, Turkey
Academic Editor: Miha Humar

Abstract:

Today, there is a growing interest in ecofriendly processes that are greatly needed as a result of the worldwide problem of environmental pollution. In
this study, Abietic acid (Aba), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nano silver (AgNPs)were blended by mixing and dissolving in tetrahydrofuran. Pine (Pinus sylvestris) sapwood samples were impregnated with the solution of PVC-Aba-AgNPs under vacuum in a small-scale impregnation container. Thermal polymerization of PVC with Aba-AgNPs was carried out inside the Pine sapwood samples leading to wood composite material containing PVC-Aba with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The weight percent gain, density, water absorption, swelling properties, and decay resistance of the treated wood were measured in detail. The decay test of wood treated with PVC-Aba-AgNPs against white-rot (Trametes versicolor) fungus was then investigated. In addition, the leaching test was carried out according to the EN 84 standard before decay test. PVC-Aba-AgNPs treatments decreased the water absorption and swelling properties of wood, whilst increasing water repellent efficiency and anti-swelling efficiency to approximately 12% after 8-day immersion in water. In general, the treated samples were found to be more resistant to decay compared to the control. Leached and unleached test samples indicated the same mass loss after decay tests.

Keywords: Abietic acid, polyvinyl chloride, nano silver, wood, decay test, physical properties
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