FUNGAL DECAY RESISTANCE OF WOOD REACTED WITH CHLOROSULFONYL ISOCYANATE OR EPICHLOROHYDRIN

We are searching for chemical treatments that can cross-link with wood causing minimal damage to mechanical properties while also improving decay resistance. The objective of this study was to investigate the r eactions between wood and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate or epichlorohydrin and to determine fungal resistance of the treated wood. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) reacted with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate to 6.1 % weig ht gain of chemical and epichlorohydrin to 10.9 % weight gain of chemi cal had 1.3 % and 2.3 % weight loss, respectively, by the fungus Gloeo phyllum trabeum. Wood cross-linked with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate lost 50 % of the sulfonyl carbamoyl groups in the decay test, whereas wood reacted with epichlorohydrin lost 17 % of the alkoxy-bonded product; the loss from the cross-linked product was not determined. Cross-linki ng between wood and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate was evidenced by the cha racteristic sulfonate and carbamate infrared absorptions. For wood rea cted with epichlorohydrin, chemical analyses showed that 50 % of the b ond between epichlorohydrin and wood was alkoxy-bonded wood and the re maining 50 % was mainly cross-linked with wood.