Posttreatment effects of castor bean oil and heating in treated jabon wood on boron leaching, dimensional stability, and decay fungi inhibition

Red jabon wood is a potential fast-growing species for veneer, furniture, and many other wood products, but its durability is very low. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of castor bean oil and heating on boron leaching, dimensional stability, and resistance to decay fungi in treated jabon wood. Red jabon wood was preserved with boron solutions containing 5% boron (boric acid, borax, or borax-boric acid). Following that, castor bean oil impregnation and heating were used as posttreatments. Furthermore, all the wood samples were tested in terms of leaching, dimensional stability, and resistance against Schizophyllum commune and Fomitopsis palustris fungi. This study discovered that boron compounds, castor bean oil, and heating treatments influenced the leaching, dimensional stability, and resistance of red jabon wood to decay fungi. The double impregnation of boric acid or borax and castor bean oil, followed by heating at 160℃, significantly reduced water absorption and leaching while increasing the dimensional stability and resistance of red jabon wood against the two tested decay fungi.