Decay and termite resistance of phosphorylated wood

The sapwoods of Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides) were chemically modified with diethyl chlorophosphate (DECP) at 60-65℃ for 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-h, and weight percent gain (WPG, %) of reacted wood were 7.25, 15.89, 23.73, 26.2, 29.49 and 30.76%, respectively. Decay resistance of phosphorylated wood was assessed according to procedures described in CNS standard 6717, and brown-rot fungus Laetiporus sulphureus and white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor were applied in this study. Moreover, termite resistance of reacted wood was determined according to approach of ASTM D3345, with test termite Coptotermes formosanus. Results revealed that the biodeterioration of wood caused by decay fungi and termite was effectively prevented by treating wood with DECP through the reaction of phosphorylation.