Novel hydrophobization of wood by epoxidized linseed oil. Part 1. Process description and anti-swelling efficiency of the treated wood

The known method of wood modification by epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) has a limiting practical application due to the rapid polymerization of ELO in the presence of acetic acid (AA) needed as a catalyst. The present study was designed to develop an alternative method by means of a two-step process to avoid the rapid polymerization. The treatment options were tested on Scots pine sapwood, with the dimensional stability (DS) of the treated samples in focus. The new method provided an anti-swelling efficiency (ASE) in the range of 40-57%, which was even better than the thermally modified (TM) reference samples with 40% ASE. The developed two-step process is a feasible and practical approach for ELO treatment of wood.