Flammability characteristics of thermally modified oak wood treated with a fire retardant

Abstract

Flammability characteristics were determined for oak wood (Quercus robur L.), which was thermally modified at 160, 180, and 210 °C. Subsequently, the thermally modified and unmodified wood was treated with a fire retardant. The effect of the thermal modification (TM) and fire retardant treatment (FRT) on the weight loss (WL), burning rate (BR), maximum burning rate (MBR), and time to reach the maximum burning rate (TRMBR) were evaluated. The FRT had an expected positive effect on all of the flammability characteristics, where the WL, BR, and MBR decreased, and the TRMBR increased. The TM temperature did not have a clear effect. As the TM temperature increased, the WL and BR decreased. The highest differences were found at 160 and 180 °C. As the TM temperature increased for the wood without the FRT, the TRMBR decreased. During the burning of the thermally modified wood with the FRT, the trend was the exact opposite.