The effects of liquid nitrogen treatment on the some physical and mechanical properties of scots pine and oriental spruce wood

Abstract

The wood materials widely used from wood construction sector, urban furniture and interior design to furniture sector are renewable resource. Wood has some disadvantages regarding durability to combustion and biological factors. To increase service life especially in urban furniture are coated and/or impregnated against to fire and biological factors. Thus, the wood materials used in construction sector should be treated with fire-retardant chemicals. In this study; Scots pine and Oriental spruce wood materials were exposed to liquid nitrogen for 30 minutes before impregnated with Firetex by using pressure-vacuum method. According to the results, amount of retention in Oriental spruce and Scots pine samples have been increased with liquid nitrogen treatment. Additionally, it was seen that the liquid nitrogen operation had not significant adverse effect on the mechanical properties. Therefore, the liquid nitrogen treatment can apply effectively as a method to improve the impregnability of the wood.