Thermal Analysis of Oriental Beech Treated With Some Dimensional Stability Chemicals and Fire-Retardant Salts

In this study, Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) wood was treated with 0.5%, 1.5% and 4.5% concentrations of two different dimensional stability chemicals (glyoxal and glycerol), two different fire-retardant salts (sodium acetate and sodium pentaborate), and their mixtures (1:1; weight/weight). The thermal degradation properties of wood samples treated with different types and concentrations of compounds were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). When only glyoxal or glycerol was used, they had an adverse effect on the thermal properties samples. The use of these chemicals together improved the thermal properties, due to the formation of longer polymer chains compared with the control group. Sodium acetate and sodium pentaborate salts, both singly and in a mixture, improved the char yield. The highest char yield (72.13%) was obtained using sodium pentaborate at 4.5% concentration.