Preliminary study on enhanced properties and biological resistance of chemically modified Acacia spp.

Abstract

A preliminary experimental study was carried out to examine the ability of a chemically modified Acacia spp. to resist biodegradation. The modifications of Acacia mangium and Acacia hybridwere carried out by propionic anhydride and succinic anhydride in the presence of sodium formate as a catalyst. The treated samples were found resistant to microbial attack, while the untreated ones were damaged on 12 months exposure to a soil burial. The appearance grading, mass loss, mechanical properties, and scanning electron microscopy results revealed that chemical modification enhances the resistance of Acacia mangium and Acacia hybrid wood species to biodegradation.