Effect of microwave heating on ph and termite resistance of Pinus roxburghii wood

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of microwave treatment on wood pH and termite resistance. Pinus roxburghii heartwood was exposed to four different microwave intensities at 2450 MHz frequency for 5 minutes. Preservative impregnation, pH variation and termite resistance of microwave-treated and control specimens were studied. Wood pH decreased from 4.6 (C1) to 3.9 (T4) and preservative uptake increased (i.e., 10.41 to 21.61 kgm-3) with increasing microwave treatment intensities. However, microwave treatment had little effect on termite resistance.

Keywords

• Dielectric treatment
• durability
• impregnation
• Odentotermes obesus
• pine