Laboratory of wood degradation and preservation uses the equipment of the Department of Wood Science and Technology and Josef Ressel Research Centre (FFWT MENDELU) – the continuous microwave device operates at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, provides fully adjustable power from 0.6 to 5 kW, and controlled velocity of the conveyor (0.01 – 1 m/min). The maximum cross-section of the treated material is 45 mm x 450 mm for continuous sterilization; the modification chamber is 600 x 600 x 600 mm. Length of the material is not limited. The vacuum-pressure impregnation plant is intended for vacuum-pressure treatment of wood or other porous materials using water-borne or oil-borne substances. The stainless steel small-scale plant (impregnation tank 50 l, storage tank: 75 l) can be used for processes with max. overpressure 900 kPa, vacuum -95 kPa and heating temperature up to 160 °C. The thermal treatment chamber with internal dimensions 800 x 800 x 500 mm, is fully instrumented and controlled, max. operating temperature is 250 °C, working in a protective atmosphere of superheated steam. The laboratory is supported by 1) Chemical analysis of sound and degraded wood, among other things, carried out on a gas chromatograph (GC-FID-MS Agilent 7890B with flame-ionization and mass spectrometry detectors, thermal desorption and head-space analysis) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC Agilent 1260 DA and ELSD – detector), 2) water diffusion analysis by a Vapour Gravimetric Sorption Analyser (SMS DVS RESOLUTION system with analysis of hygro-expansion by Digital Image Correlation) and other equipment for coupled moisture-thermo-mechanical analysis, 3) mycological laboratory for durability tests and isolation and identification of fungi from degraded wood with devices for non-destructive and destructive testing including e.g. precise 5 kN mechanical testing machine with a climatic chamber or 400J impact tester for testing material changes at the initial stage of decay.
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