Abstract:
Wood used outdoor is subjected to dierent sources of degradation and should be protected
properly. In this study, acrylic resins were added to a wood impregnation system using amine oxides
and propiconazole, an organic fungicide, to create a two-part wood protection preservation treatment.
Since amine oxides can diuse readily into wood, this treatment protected both the surface and
inner structure of the treated wood following a simple dipping. Many aspects of the treatment were
studied: the adhesion of the acrylic coatings, their permeability to water, and the impregnation depth
of the propiconazole. In each case, a particular attention was accorded to the interactions between
the resins and the impregnation system. Adhesion and permeability tests were coupled with an
artificial aging process simulating severely wet conditions. Amine oxides reduced the adhesion of the
coatings but did not impair their aging properties. Because of their hydrophilic nature, they also
increased the permeability to liquid water, although they did not aect the air moisture permeability.
The penetration of the propiconazole, estimated with a dye, decreased with the resin. Overall, the two
parts of the treatment lightly impaired each other, but the practical aspect of this treatment may
overcome these disadvantages.