Termite and fungal resistance of in situ polymerized tributyltin acrylate and acetylated Indonesian and USA wood

Abstract

Wood [Indonesian pine (IP), Indonesian Jabon (IJ) and USA southern yellow pine (USP)] was either in situ polymerized with tributyltin acrylate (TBTA) or acetylated and then exposed to termite and fungal degradation both in laboratory tests and field exposure. The TBTA woods had an average weight percent gain (WPG) of 11% for IP, 12% for IJ, and 10% for USP. The acetylated woods had a WPG of 15-27% for IP, 16% for IJ, and 12-21% for USP. All levels of TBTA and acetylation treatments were effective against the brown-rot fungus Tyromyces palustris and the white-rot fungus Coriolus versicolor in laboratory testing. Resistance to subterranean termites [Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann)] and dry wood termites [Cryptotermes cynocephalus (Light)] was shown in laboratory tests with all treatments. After one year of field testing in Indonesia (AWPA Standard E7-93), TBTA treated specimens gave a grade number of 8 for all 3 woods compared to 0 for the untreated controls (based on a 10 - point scale.) The acetylated specimens gave a grade number of 4 for IP, 8 for IJ, and 6 for USP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed polymer located in the lumen of the earlywood and latewood of selected TBTA treated specimens, but at low overall polymer weight gain the lumens were not evenly filled. Termite field testing continues on all treated wood specimens.