Ecological Wood Protection System against Fire, Fungi and Insect Damage Using Humic Acids and Fly Ash
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Experimental Setup
- (1)
- Test specimens were cut from various species of wood.
- (2)
- The test specimens were dried at 105 °C for 48 h.
- (3)
- Humate solutions were prepared. Humates were extracted from black peat using ammonia solution, and a highly concentrated humate solution (exceeding 3%) was obtained.
- (4)
- Colloidal oil shale ash, colloidal silica, and humate were mixed, and the test specimens were placed into a mixer using special holders. The system was vacuumed to remove air veins in the wood. The air was slowly reintroduced into the system while the impregnation solution was kept moving by a mechanical mixer.
- (5)
- Test specimens were rinsed with water and dried.
- (6)
- Cuts of the test specimens were made, and SEM studies were performed to determine the quality of impregnation and the chemical composition of the crystals formed.
- (7)
- Another part of each test specimen was placed into a termite colony.
- (8)
- The third fraction of each test specimen was used in the fire-resistance tests using a cone calorimeter.
2.2. Preparation of the Specimens
- Wood Specimens: Two different sizes of wood specimens, measuring 30 mm × 30 mm × 10 mm and 50 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm, were cut from various wood species, including Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies), silver birch (Betula pendula), black alder (Alnus glutinosa), aspen (Populus tremula), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), and oak (Quercus robur). The specimens were subsequently dried (Figure 1) and marked.
2.3. Preparation of Humate Solution and Impregnation Solution, and Vacuum Impregnation Procedure
- Humate solution preparation: A humate solution was prepared by mixing well-decomposed dark peat with warm water (36–40 °C) and 25% liquid ammonia (5 vol % mixture).
- Impregnation solutions: Five impregnation solutions were created using the humate base solution:
- Humate base solution (500 mL) with 50 g of ground oil shale ash and 20 g of silica fume.
- Humate base solution (500 mL) with 50 g of oil shale ash.
- Humate base solution (500 mL) with 20 g of silica fume.
- Humate base solution (500 mL).
- Distilled water (500 mL) with 50 g of oil shale ash and 20 g of silica fume.
- Vacuum impregnation: Specimens were impregnated within a vacuum tank (see Figure 2). The vacuum was set to −1.0 bar for 1 h to remove air from the wood. Subsequently, the specimens were immersed in the impregnation solution, allowing it to penetrate the wood’s veins for 24 h. Afterward, the specimens were rinsed with water and dried at 105 °C for 24 h.
2.4. SEM Studies
2.5. Tests with Termites
2.6. Fire Tests
- Total heat release;
- Total oxygen consumed;
- Mass loss;
- Average specific mass loss rate;
- Total smoke release;
- Total smoke production (6.0 m²);
- Mean peak time;
- Heat release rate;
- Effective heat of combustion;
- Mass loss rate;
- Specific extinction area;
- Carbon monoxide yield;
- Carbon dioxide yield.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. SEM Studies
3.2. Fire-Resistance Tests
- (1)
- Ignition
- Ignitability;
- Flammability;
- (2)
- Developing fire
- Flame spread;
- Heat release;
- HRR;
- (3)
- Fully developed fire
- Heat penetration;
- Fire penetration/fire resistance;
- Heat release/fire load.
- Capping effect: The concrete cork applied to the wood tracheids acts as a barrier, impeding heat flow into the material.
- Endothermic release of carbon dioxide: The decomposition of the concrete material leads to the endothermic release of carbon dioxide, which, in turn, cools the fire front and obstructs the access of atmospheric oxygen.
3.3. Tests with Termites
3.4. Impacts on Mechanical Properties and Moisture Resistance
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Liiv, J.; Rikmann, E.; Shanskiy, M.; Teppand, T. Ecological Wood Protection System against Fire, Fungi and Insect Damage Using Humic Acids and Fly Ash. Appl. Sci. 2024, 14, 5179. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125179
Liiv J, Rikmann E, Shanskiy M, Teppand T. Ecological Wood Protection System against Fire, Fungi and Insect Damage Using Humic Acids and Fly Ash. Applied Sciences. 2024; 14(12):5179. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125179
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiiv, Jüri, Ergo Rikmann, Merrit Shanskiy, and Tõnis Teppand. 2024. "Ecological Wood Protection System against Fire, Fungi and Insect Damage Using Humic Acids and Fly Ash" Applied Sciences 14, no. 12: 5179. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125179