WOOD RESEARCH Volume 69, Number 2, 2024
GÜL YILMAZ ATAY, NURŞAH BILGIÇ, and MARIATTI JAAFAR

THE USE OF BORIC ACID AND ANTIMONY OXIDE AS AUXILIARY MINERALS WITH HUNTITE HYDROMAGNESITE TO IMPROVE FLAME RETARDANT PROPERTIES OF WOODDUST COMPOSITES

Boric acid, antimony oxide minerals and huntite hydromagnesite minerals were used as auxiliary minerals in wood composites to change their flammability features. Composite samples were prepared by using different ratios of sawdust, huntite, hydromagnesite, antimony and boric acid combinations. The obtained samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis to determine the structural and morphological properties of the composites. Thermal behavior of the composites was determined by differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG). Tensile and three-point bending tests were performed to understand the mechanical properties. Finally, the flame retardant performance of the samples was observed according to UL94 vertical flammability tests. It was concluded that wood composites containing inorganic minerals gained resistance against fire, a good synergistic effect was obtained in different additive types

WOOD RESEARCH Volume 68, Number 4, 2023
IGOR WACHTER, TOMÁŠ ŠTEFKO, JOZEF MARTINKA, Peter Ďuriš, PETER RANTUCH, and Zuzana Mária Buchtová

Optical Properties of Transparent Wood prepared from Balsa

In this study, transparent wood was prepared by deactivating chromophore groups in raw balsa wood, followed by solvent free dehydration and a subsequent vacuum-assisted polymer infiltration. Thermal degradation of transparent wood takes place in two main steps. Optical properties (colorimetry, transmittance) of transparent wood made from balsa wood and acrylic polymers were studied. Highest values of transmittance in the visible part of spectra were achieved by 0.7 mm thick samples at approx. 77%. The dependence of thickness on transmittance showed a linear decrease with increasing thickness of transparent wood. The created material also exhibits absorbing properties in visible and UV spectra.