-Center for Development

-Poznan University of Life Sciences

-University of West Hungary Sopron

-Mendel University in Brno

-Technical University in Zvolen

Poznan University of Life Sciences

Material and technological properties of relevant wood based material.

Evaluation of wood for construction purposes (mechanical properties of wood of different origin
including plantation wood); Material quality characteristics through the evaluation of macro-structural
parameters; Determination of technological quality of the full scale construction elements (e.g.
glulam) with the use of ultrasonic methods.
Identification of thermal properties and water diffusivity in wood and wood based panels (the
properties will be determined with the use of the inverse method, the validation of the obtained results
will be also done).
Modeling of heat and water transfer in the designed structures of the investigated low energy (green)
house. The transient modeling will be done accounting material nonlinearity, non-homogeneity,
anisotropy and geometric irregularity.
Investigations of the elastic, strength and rheological properties of wood-based panel materials,
especially of oriented strand board (OSB).
Investigations of the rigidity, load capacity and bending creep behavior of composite I-beams made of
wood flanges and OSB webs.
Identification of fire properties of wood and wood based products. The properties will be determined
with the use of the cone calorimeter, thermal radiation chamber and fire tube.
Identification of natural durability of modified wood and wood based products as well as wood treated
with new ecofriendly preservatives.
Determination of wood coatings properties (aesthetic-decorative features, durability against
biodegradation, resistance to UV radiation, chemical and thermal resistance).
Identification of surface interaction according to adsorptive theory of polymer/wood adhesion through
the surface free energy, work of adhesion and surface tension on the interface of wood/polymer.
Development of construction and manufacturing technology of auxetic boards and shaped beams
based on wood and lingo-cellulose materials.

Environmental and ecological impact of green houses.

One of important aspects affecting the comfort of building users is the level of VOC emissions. Many
investigations were focused on VOCs emitted by different construction materials. However, so far
wood raw materials available in Europe as well as other lingo-cellulosic materials employed in
building industry have not been investigated in this regard. Wood, despite its unquestionable physico-
mechanical advantages utilised in house construction is susceptible to biodegradation. No research
results are available concerning VOC emissions by wood tissue degrading organisms as well as lingo-
cellulosic materials derived from Europe. In order to reduce the phenomenon of wood biodegradation,
it is protected against various biotic factors most frequently using for this purpose various chemical
agents. There are no available research results which would indicate that the applied fungicides remain
in the wood raw material throughout the lifetime of a given object. Therefore, it is proposed to
examine emissions of selected modern fungicides employed in chemical agents used to protect wood.
The following topics are planned in this area:
• Determination of VOCs emissions from wood and other lignocellulosic materials used as
• insulation materials in green buildings.
• Determination of emissions from wood and wood based materials glued, painted, coated and
• treated with preservatives.
• Preparation, formulation and testing of new wood preservatives according to BPD (Biocide
• Product Directive 98/8/EC), acc. to REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
• Restriction of Chemical substances) and GHS (Globally Harmonised System of classification
• and labelling of chemicals).
• Eco-tox study of wood treated with new preservatives and coatings.

The potential capacity

The Faculty has almost 20 years experience in participation in European Cooperation in Science and
Technology (COST). The special activity was manifested in the Domain of the Forests, their Products
and Services (FPS). The Faculty members were active in Management Committees and Working
Groups of several COST actions. The activity resulted in cooperation links between scientists of the
Faculty and researches from European universities. The joined projects resulted in scientific papers,
textbooks etc.
The Faculty of Wood Technology is a member of IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research
Organisations) and is in active collaboration with many universities and institutes involved in
scientific experimentation and research, both in Poland and abroad. The Faculty has 150 members of
staff (excluding PhD students) of which 90 are teachers and 60 are engineering and technical staff. The
Faculty offers wood technology studies as university courses. The present number of students of the
Faculty is over 750.
The research activities of the Faculty concentrate in the following fields: wood science, technological
optimisation of mechanical wood processing, gluing technology as well as finishing processes,
emission of toxic gaseous substances, wood based panels production and properties, rheology of wood
and fracture mechanics of wooden structural elements, wood drying, design and optimisation of wood
constructions and furniture, systems for dust extraction and ventilation, ecological aspects of wood
working processes, modification of wood, wood protection and preservation, pulping processes,
thermal modification of wood.

Expertise in the relevant fields
Weres J., Olek W. (2005): Inverse finite element analysis of technological processes of heat and mass
transport in agricultural and forest products. Drying Technology 23(8): 1737-1750.
Olek W., Perré P., Weres J. (2011): Implementation of a relaxation equilibrium term in the convective
boundary condition for a better representation of the transient bound water diffusion in wood. Wood
Science and Technology. DOI: 10.1007/s00226-010-0399-2.
Plenzler R., Pałubicki B. (2006): Orientation dependent modulus of elasticity and strength of OSB/4
bent in the plane of panel. Fol. For. Pol. Ser. B, 37: 47-54.
Plenzler R., Murawski T. (2010): Bending creep behaviour of OSB-webbed I-beam. Fol. For. Pol. Ser.
B. 41: 57-67.
Cofta G., Borysiak S., Doczekalska B., Garbarczyk J. (2005): Resistance of polypropylene-wood
composites to fungi. Polimery , 2006, 51(4), 276-279.
Grześkowiak W. Ł. (2011): Evaluation of the effectiveness of the fire retardant mixture containing
potassium carbonate using a cone calorimeter. FIRE AND MATERIALS, Fire Mater. (2011)
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/fam.1088
Ratajczak I., Mazela B. (2007): The boron fixation to the cellulose, lignin and wood matrix through its
reaction with protein. Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff, 65: 231-237.
Mazela B., Ratajczak I., Bartkowiak M. (2007): Animal protein impact on fungicidal properties of
treatment formulations. Wood Research, 52(1): 13-22.
Mazela B., Domagalski P., Mamonova M., Ratajczak I. (2007): Protein impact on the capability of the
protein-borate preservative penetration and distribution into pine and aspen wood. Holz als Roh- und
Werkstoff, 65: 137-144.
Ratajczak I., Mazela B. (2007): The boron fixation to the cellulose, lignin and wood matrix through its
reaction with protein. Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff, 65: 231-237.
Mirski R., Dziurka D. (2011): Applicability of strand substitution in the cor of OSB BioResources
6(3), 3080-3086.
Mirski R., Dziurka D., Derkowski A. (2011): Dynamics of changes in thickness of commercial OSB/3
subjected to soaking. Wood Research, 56(3).
Ratajczak I., Hoffmann S.K., Goslar J., Mazela B. (2008): Fixation of copper(II)-protein formulation
in wood: Part 1. Influence of tannic acid on fixation of copper in wood. Holzforschung, 62(3): 294– 299.
Hoffmann S.K., Goslar J., Ratajczak I., Mazela B. (2008): Fixation of copper-protein formulation in
wood: Part 2. Molecular mechanism of fixation of copper(II) in cellulose, lignin and wood studied by
EPR. Holzforschung, 62(3): 300–308.
Mazela B., Hochmańska P. (2009): The resistance of wood coated with different solvent-borne paints
against colonisation by decay fungi. Int. Res. Group on Wood Preserv., IRG/WP 09-40468.
Ratajczak I., Wichłacz-Szentner K., Mazela B., Hochmańska P., Rissmann I. (2010): Silicon
compounds as additives improving coating performance: fixation of silicon compounds with cellulose,
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 68, 483-486.

The relevant facilities

Laboratory setups for investigating sorption isotherms, bound water transport, steady-state and
transient heat flow.
Testing machine FPZ 100/1 (universal testing machine)
Testing machine ZWICK Z 050 TH
Laboratory stands for: beam creep experiments, plate twisting, beam destructive bending tests, strain
gage measurements.
Specialised mycological laboratory fulfilling the requirements of EN 599, EN 113, EN839, EN807,
EN 152. The laboratory is equipped with special breeding chambers in which mycological tests with
moulds can be carried out.
In order to carry out VOC analyses emitted by construction materials and fungi settling wood and
wood-based materials, the method of micro extraction to the solid phase (Solid Phase Microextraction
– SPME) will be employed. Assays will be taken with the assistance of a gas chromatographer
coupled with mass spectrometer a Trace GC/MS.
Chemical laboratory dispose with AAS Spectra AA Varian, Infinity spectrophotometer by Mattson
with Fourier transform, HPLC Water Alliance 2695 with photodiode array, HPLC 2414 Refractive
Index Detector, IR Infinity Mainframe Matson, Continuous-wave EPR Radiopan SE/X-2547
spectrometer operating at X-band microwave frequencies with a cylindrical TE011 cavity and 100 kHz
magnetic modulations, Marsexpress CEM International semi-closed microwave mineralization system.
In order to carry out fire properties of materials the Fire laboratory dispose with Cone
calorimeter, Fire tube and chamber for fire rate tests where the following measurements may
be provided: MLR (mass loss rate), HRR (heat release rate), THR (total heat released), HOC
(effective heat of combustion), SEA (specific extinction area), FSW (final sample weight) and
TI (time to ignition).
Laboratory scale treatment plant and installation for thermal wood modification.
The potential capacity for testing the following properties:
surface interactions, acc. to adsorptive theory of adhesion of polymers to wood (EN 828)
surface free energy, work of adhesion and surface tension on the interface with their dispersion and
polar shares in appropriate systems: wood - adhesive, wood - lacquer, wood - preservative - adhesive,
wood - preservative – lacquer determination of the strength and water- and thermoresistance of glue
lines (EN 204, EN 205), and their course in conditionings of artificial aging tests, including the cyclic
immersion in water, freezing, conditioning and action of elevated temperature (EN ISO 9142 standard)
determination of the properties of lacquer coatings (EN 4624 standard) and resistance to UV radiation
(EN ISO 11341) with the use of Solarbox 1500e chamber; resistance to chemicals (EN 12720);

Projects revue

Research projects financed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education:
3 P06L 050 25 – Model tests on using of the potassium carbonate in systems increasing the fire
resistance of chosen wooden constructions (2003-2005).
3 P06L 034 24 – Non-toxic wood preservatives containing animal proteins and organic compounds
(2003-2006).
2 P06L 017 29 – Identification of thermal properties of wood based materials with the application of
the inverse method ( 2005 – 2008 ).
3P06L03624 – Research on the quality of domestic Douglas-fir wood (Pseudotsuga douglasii Carr.)
assigned for sawmill processing (2002-2004).
2P06L02226 – Technological optimization of round wood and timber integrated processing using
computer methods (2004-2006).
2 P06L 006 27 Adhesive materials based on silans to be used in laminating technologies of surfaces of
panel elements with foils and tapes in furniture industry (2006-2007).
3 P06L 046 25 – Research on gluability of pinewood impregnated with selected salt substances (2003-
2005).
NN 309169333 Changeability of microfibril tilt angle in adjacent tracheid walls and pine wood
resistance against longitudinal stretching along the fibers within single annual growth (2007-2010).
N N309 4248 33 – Determination of the compliance matrix elements of Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
in the plane stress state using digital image analysis (2007-2008).
N N309 2876 33 – Effects of thermal modification parameters on properties of poplar and beech wood
(2008-2010).
N N309 071736 – Potential possibilities to enhance wood durability with the use of organosilanes in
wood preservative-decorative formulations (2009-2012).
N N309 026639 – Researches of the classification of glued construction element from domestic pine
wood of different bases of raw material (2010-2012).
N N309 428138 – The influence of small-fraction particles in the center layer upon mechanical
properties and dimensional stability of OSB (2010-2013).

Research projects financed by the National Center of Research and Development:
ZPB/65/64787/IT2/10 Programme IniTech - Furniture made of auxetics materials (2010-2013).
Research projects financed by the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 (FP7):
Project acronym: StarDust
Project title: The Strategic Project on Trans-national Commercial Activities in Research & Innovation,
Clusters and in SME-Networks (2011-2013)

Other topics proposed

Designing and implementing new university course, i.e. timber building engineering (the process of
designing and implementing will be coordinated for all partners involved within the project).
Supporting the sustainable development of the timber and building industry due to the implementation
of new renewable products and materials.
Marketing of timber applications for engineered purposes (primary building industry) instead of
simple energetic utilization of wood in power plants,
Marketing and promotion of energy-saving technologies in order to reduce CO2 emission.

The possibility and form to co-finance an EU project

Partial engaging of research and educational activities of the Faculty in the topics related to the
project, i.e. some PhD, MSc thesis will be partially related to the objectives of the project. Maintaining
costs of laboratories, equipment and experimental stands will be covered by the Faculty.