Fungal inhibition and chemical characterization of wood treated with novel polystyrene-soybean oil copolymer containing silver nanoparticles

In this study, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) samples were impregnated with autoxidized soybean oil polymer containing Ag nanoparticles (Agsbox) and polystyrene-soybean oil copolymer (AgPSsb) in order to inhibit white-rot fungus (Trametes versicolor). Chemical changes of the impregnated specimens were characterized by FTIR techniques. The higher concentration of nano preservative resulted in higher weight percent gain (WPG) in the impregnated samples. The samples impregnated with 1.5% of Agsbox, had the highest WPG (2.98%). The silver nanocomposite-impregnated wood specimens improved the anti-fungal properties. In addition, treatment with 0.4% AgPSsb resulted in the lowest moisture content (23.4%) after decay tests. In the samples, the lowest weight loss (0.87%) due to fungal decay was observed with the use of 0.4 wt% of AgPSsb. Mass losses of Agsbox impregnated specimens at 1.5% and 0.04% were 2.86% and 4.61% respectively. The FTIR spectra of the specimens impregnated with the nanocomposites showed the impregnated components at the peaks of 2910 cm−1 and 1714 cm−1 in particular.