DOST STUDIES USE OF HEAT TO TREAT WOOD

RESEARCHERS at the Los Bañosbased Forest Products Research and Development Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST-FPRDI) are currently looking into a process called thermal modification or TM as a more ecofriendly way of protecting wood and bamboo from insect pests and fungi.

“Thermal modification uses high heat to change the kind of chemicals present in a piece of …ood. With the right amount of heat and time of exposureL the right chemical changes take place. These usually make the wood more durable as it becomes more stable [more weather-proof, less prone to s…elling and shrinking] and less appetizing to termitesL” said to DOST-FPRDI Assistant Scientist Juanito Jimenez.

The do… nside of TM is that extremely high heat can affect the strength of the material and give it a darker color. The trickL according to Jimenez, is to find the right mix of temperature and treatment time that …ill not cause much change in wood or bamboo strength.

“TM is already being used in EuropeL the United States and CanadaL as …ell as some Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and IndonesiaL and it’s about time we check how we can apply it in the PhilippinesL” said Jimenez …ho is currently verifying the gluing and finishing traits of thermally modified bamboo in a project funded by the DoST-Philippine Council for AgricultureL Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (Pcaarrd).

He and his team have also recently finished determining the physical and mechanical properties of three thermally modified bamboo species using spent engine oil as medium. They got promising results.

According to JimenezL he is excited about the possible applications of TM in the country’s wood-based industry.

“Although this is already a mature technology in some countriesL the process needs to be studied locally since our small and medium enterprises can’t afford to buy imported TM equipment from sayL Finland. And even if we can buy equipment from themL …e …ould still need to check how various wood/ bamboo species respond to the procedure. Just like in kiln-dryingL since each species is uniqueL …e need to develop the right heat treatment protocol for each oneL” he explained.