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This study was conducted to determine the correlation between the mass loss (ML) of wood due to thermal modification and the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of thermally modified wood. After thermal modification of larch lumber under various temperature and time conditions, ML according to treatment temperature and time was measured, and the (EMC) of the thermally modified wood was evaluated for each treatment condition. As the treatment temperature increased and the treatment time became longer, the ML of wood due to thermal modification increased. In addition, as the treatment temperature increased, the difference in EMC between the non-treated wood and the thermally modified wood tended to increase. Finally, a robust logarithmic correlation was observed between the ML due to thermal modification and the EMC of the thermally modified wood. These results suggest that the EMC of thermally modified wood can be predicted by simply measuring the weight of wood before and after thermal modification.

The mechanical properties and termite and decay resistance performance of wood-based panel used in wooden houses were evaluated. The physical and mechanical properties, along with the resistance levels, of commonly used wood-based panels, including oriented strand board, structural particleboard, and particleboard for use in interior, were compared. The structural particleboard complied with the physical, mechanical, and formaldehyde emission standards of the International Organization for Standardization and Japanese Industrial Standard, surpassing the requirements for oriented strand board. The structural particleboard exhibited excellent water resistance and a consistent performance. Decay tests classified the particleboard and structural particleboard as "Resistant," with mass losses of 7.82 to 12.72% (white rot) and 14.69 to 16.55% (brown rot). Pine (Pinus densiflora) and oriented strand board exhibited no decay resistance, with mass losses exceeding 45%. The particleboard and structural particleboard demonstrated superior termite resistance, resulting in 100% termite mortality in three days without chemical treatment. The structural particleboard exhibited excellent water, decay, and termite resistance, which can be an advantage in wooden-house construction in terms of maintenance.

There are differences in the extracellular enzymes produced from species of wood-rotting fungi and their activity due to variation in nutritional conditions such as carbon sources and nitrogen sources, as well as environmental conditions such as incubation temperature and pH. In this study, to determine the methods to promote the secretion of especially cellulase with high activity among the extracellular enzymes of wood-damaging fungi, the optimal nutrient sources and incubation conditions for the production of cellulase with high activity were investigated using response surface methodology based on a broth culture from Acanthophysium sp. KMF001, a novel strain of wood-damaging fungus. The nutrient sources that were optimal for the cellulase production with high activity from Acanthophysium sp. KMF001 were cellulose as a carbon source and tryptone:yeast extract (7:3) as a nitrogen source. The optimal incubation conditions were a temperature of 30 °C and a pH of 6. The optimal concentrations of carbon and nitrogen sources were cellulose at 31.1 g·L-1 and tryptone:yeast extract (7:3) at 15 g·L-1, with pH of 5.9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]