Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modification of wood with silicon compounds. Treatment systems based on organic silicon compounds — a review

  • Original
  • Published:
Wood Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A wide variety of organo-silicon compounds has been described for application on wood. Some compounds such as organo-functional silanes which are mostly applied in combination with tetraalkoxysilanes (sol-gel process) as well as chlorosilanes and trimethylsilyl derivatives were proposed for a full impregnation treatment of wood. Other systems have been developed for surface treatment of wood such as plasma coating with hexametyldisiloxane and micro-emulsions which mainly contain silane/siloxane mixtures. The effects related to the various treatments vary from an increase in dimensional stability, durability and fire resistance to an enhanced hydrophobation of wood. In the cases of decay and fire resistance a combination of silicon based systems with other chemicals was required to obtain satisfactory results. Due to the excellent water repellent ability and weathering stability of some treatments, application of silicon treated wood under conditions of hazard class III (EN 335 outside above ground exposure) is recommended.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ASE:

anti-shrink efficiency

ATR-FT-IR:

attenuated total reflectance — Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

CP MAS-NMR:

cross polarisation magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

DTA:

differential thermal analysis

DTMOS:

decyltrimethoxysilane

EDX:

energy dispersive x-ray analysis

EETMOS:

β-(3,4 epoxycyclohexyl) ethyl trimethoxysilane

EMC:

equilibrium moisture content

ESCA:

electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis

HFOETMOS:

2-heptadecafluorooctylethyltrimethoxysilane

HMDSO:

hexamethyldisiloxane

IPTEOS:

3-isocyanatepropyl triethoxysilane

MPTMOS:

γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane

MTMOS:

methyltrimethoxysilane

PDMS:

polydimethylsiloxane

PTMOS:

propyltrimethoxysilane

TEOS:

tetraethoxysilane / triethyl orthosilicate

TFPTMOS:

3,3,3-trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane

TGA:

thermo-gravimetric analysis

TMSAH:

3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl (carboxymethyl) decylmethyl ammonium hydroxide inner salt

TMSCl:

trimethylsilyl chloride

TPT:

tetraisopropyl titanate

VTMOS:

vinyl trimethoxysilane

WPG:

weight percent gain

WRE:

water repellent efficiency

References

  • Anonymous (1989) Silicone. Chemie und Technologie, Vulkan Verlag, Essen

  • Belyi VA, Kupcinov BI, Savickij VN (1985) Einfluß der Modifizierung von Birkenholz mit siliciumorganischen Verbindungen auf seine Eigenschaften. Holztechnologie 26:247–249

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brebner KI, Schneider MH (1985) Wood-polymer combinations: bonding of alkoxysilane coupling agents to wood. Wood Sci Technol 19:75–81

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cho DL, Sjöblom E (1990) Plasma treatment of wood. J Appl Polym Sci 46:461–472

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denes AR, Tshabalala MA, Rowell R, Denes F, Young RA (1999) Hexamethyldisiloxane-plasma coating of wood surface for creating water repellent characteristics. Holzforschung 53:318–326

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardinger D, Mayer H, Kolleritsch G (1996) Process for impregnating wood. US Patent 5,538,547

  • Goethals P, Stevens M (1994) Dimensional stability and decay resistance of wood upon modification with some new type chemical reactants. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 94–40028) Stockholm

  • Hager R (1995) Waterborne silicones as wood preservatives. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 95–30062) Stockholm

  • Lukowsky D, Peek R-D, Rapp AO (1997) Water-based silicones in wood. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 97–30144) Stockholm

  • Mahlberg R, Niemi HE-M, Denes F, Rowell RM (1998) Effect of oxygen and hexamethyldisiloxane plasma on morphology, wettability and adhesion properties of polyethylene and lignocellulosics. Int J Adhes Adhes 18:283–297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mai C, Militz H (2004) Modification of wood with silicon compounds. Inorganic silicon compounds and sol-gel systems. Wood Sci Technol (in press). DOI 10.1007/s00226-003-0205-5

  • Marquardt H, Schäfer SG (1994) Lehrbuch der Toxikologie. Wissenschaftsverlag, Mannheim, pp 622–623

  • Miyafuji H, Saka S (2001) Na2O-SiO2 wood inorganic composites prepared by the sol-gel process and their fire resistant properties. J Wood Sci 47:483–489

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ogiso K, Saka S (1994) Wood-inorganic composites prepared by sol-gel processing IV. Effects of chemical bonds between wood and inorganic substances on property enhancement. Mokuzai Gakkaishi 40:1100–1106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Owens CW, Shortle WT, Shigo AL (1980) Silicon tetrachloride: a potential wood preservative. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 3133) Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Podgorski L, Bousta C, Schambourg F, Maguin J, Chevet B (2002) Surface modification of wood by plasma polymerisation. Pigm Resin Technol 31:33–40

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saka S, Miyafuji H, Tanno F (2001) Wood-inorganic composites prepared by the sol-gel process. J Sol-Gel Sci Techn 20:213–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Saka S, Sasaki M, Tanahashi M (1992) Wood-inorganic composites prepared by sol-gel processing I. Wood-inorganic composites with porous structure. Mokuzai Gakkaishi 38:1043–1049

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saka S, Tanno F (1996) Wood-inorganic composites prepared by sol-gel processing VI. Effects of a property-enhancer on fire-resistance in SiO2-P2O5 and SiO2-B2O3 wood-inorganic composites. Mokuzai Gakkaishi 42:81–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saka S, Tanno F, Yamamoto A, Tanaka M, Higuchi K (1999) Method for preparing antibacterial/antifungal inorganic matter-composited wood. US Patent 5,985,372

  • Saka S, Ueno T (1997) Several SiO2 wood-inorganic composites and their fire-resisting properties. Wood Sci Technol 31:457–466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saka S, Yakake Y (1993) Wood-inorganic composites prepared by sol-gel process III. Chemically-modified wood-inorganic composites. Mokuzai Gakkaishi 75:308–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider MH, Brebner KL (1985) Wood-polymer combinations: the chemical modification of wood by alkoxysilane coupling agents. Wood Sci Technol 19:67–73

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sèbe G, Brook MA (2001) Hydrophobization of wood surfaces: covalent grafting of silicone polymers. Wood Sci Technol 35:269–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sèbe G, De Jéso B (2000) The dimensional stabilisation of maritime pine sapwood (Pinus pinaster) by chemical reaction with organosilicon compounds. Holzforschung 54:474–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens M (1981) Preliminary results of the treatment of wood with chlorosilanes. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 3172) Stockholm

  • Stevens M (1985) Restriction on the use of chlorosilanes as potential wood preservatives. International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG/WP 3345) Stockholm

  • Tanno F, Saka S, Yamamoto A, Takabe K (1998) Antimicrobial TMSAH-added wood-inorganic composites prepared by the sol-gel process. Holzforschung 52:365–370

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zollfrank C (2001) Silylation of solid beech wood. Wood Sci Technol 35:183–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zollfrank C, Wegener G (2002) FTIR microscopy and ultrastructural investigation of silylated solid wood. Holzforschung 56:39–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wood Biology and Technology, University of Goettingen, Buesgenweg 4, 37077, Goettingen, Germany

    Carsten Mai & Holger Militz

Authors
  1. Carsten Mai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Holger Militz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carsten Mai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mai, C., Militz, H. Modification of wood with silicon compounds. Treatment systems based on organic silicon compounds — a review. Wood Sci Technol 37, 453–461 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-004-0225-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-004-0225-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation