Vanillin/silica microencapsulation for wood preservation

Abstract Vanillin is an antifungal and environmentally friendly compound. In this study, vanillin and silica microcapsules (VSM) were microencapsulated using the sol-gel method and then impregnated into wood. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the morphological structure and distribution of VSM in wood. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to study the intermolecular interactions between VSM and wood. The antifungal performance of the VSM-treated wood was evaluated. The study revealed that VSM had good sustained-release performance and decay resistance. Mass losses of VSM-treated wood after leaching and exposure to Trametes versicolor (L.) Quel. and Gloephyllum trabeum (Pers.) Murrill decreased from mass losses of 20.8 % and 15.9 % of the control group to 9.2 % and 6.4 %, respectively. VSM treatment disrupted the mycelium of T. versicolor and G. trabeum, inhibited their respiratory metabolism, and the ligninase-laccase enzyme activity of T. versicolor. Meanwhile, MOR and MOE of VSM-treated wood were 96.7 MPa and 12.3 GPa which were 28.8 % and 11.5 % higher than the control group, respectively.