Investigation of biological durability of heat treated and densified poplar wood against brown rot fungi

• Main Authors: Gonca DÜZKALE SÖZBİR, İbrahim BEKTAŞ
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Isparta University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Forestry 2019-12-01
• Series: Turkish Journal of Forestry
• Subjects: heat modification; densification; brown rot fungi; poplar wood; isıl işlem; yoğunlaştırma; esmer çürüklük mantarı; kavak odunu
• Online Access: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/tjf/issue/51103/636671?publisher=iubu

Poplar wood samples were subjected to heat treatment first and then densification under pressure since there was no harm to the environment and human health. Poplar wood (Populus usbekistanica) samples were heat treated at 120, 160 and 200 °C for 60 and 180 minutes for two different periods and the density of half of the heat treated samples was increased under hot press. Then, the heat treated and densified samples, AWPA E10-12 standard and EN113 standard was modified, resistance to brown rot fungi was investigated. As a result of the study, it was determined that as the temperature and time increases, the mass loss increases and the maximum mass loss occurs in parallel with the increase in time at 200 °C. It has been determined that the density decreases with increasing heat treatment temperature due to the mass loss and the pressure treatment increases the density. Densified samples after heat treatment showed density decreases with increasing temperature due to mass loss. On the other hand, the samples tested according to the AWPA standard showed that the densification process against Postia placenta fungus increased the resistance compared to the heat treatment applied alone, and that heat treatment was more effective in resistance against Neolentinus lepideus fungus. In the samples tested in petri dishes according to the modified EN 113 standard, the densification process against Coniophera puteana fungus increased the resistance, while the heat treatment against Neolentinus lepideus fungus was found to be more effective.