Effect of Beeswax Impregnation on the Dimensional Stability, Surface Properties, and Thermal Characteristics of Wood.

Wood is both renewable and natural, which are qualities that make it both environmentally sustainable and useful in terms of development. However, wood also has certain inherent defects, such as its tendencies to shrink when dried and rot when wet. These defects restrict the use and popularity of lumber as a building material. In this paper, the effects of beeswax impregnation on the dimensional stability of wood were studied. Pieces of African padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) (20 mm × 20 mm × 20 mm) were used as the test material. The wood was treated at a temperature of 120 °C for periods of 3 h or 6 h. Measurements of weight gain rate, size expansion coefficient, and contact angle of the control samples were compared with samples treated with beeswax for 3 h and 6 h to explain macroscopic changes in wood. The effects of beeswax impregnation were compared using scanning electron microscopy, thermal weight loss characteristic analysis, and functional group analysis. The results indicated that, to some extent, beeswax impregnation improved the dimensional stability of wood and remarkably enhanced its surface hydrophobicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]