Treatment of woods with silanes

Can silanes improve wood properties? This study describes systematic approaches to test the feasibility of treating wood with silanes. In laboratory tests, the incorporation of silicon compounds in the wood matrix, the effects on physico-mechanical properties and the resistance of the newly formed wood-silicon compounds against biological attack were investigated. The suitability of a specific silane formulation for commercial treatment processes was proved under industrial process conditions in a pilot impregnation plant. A promising application for silanes as a component in a complex preservative formulation for wood in outdoor use out of ground is recommended.