Punctated microcracked structure to enhance the mildew resistance of wood scrimber

Wood scrimber (WS) is a high-performance wood-based material that can substitute for high-quality wood as a renewable building material. However, when used outdoors, WS is prone to mildew, which seriously affects its surface performance and causes microbial infiltration. Due to the poor permeability of WS, it is difficult to render it mildew-resistant. In this work, we report a method to achieve the deep penetration of an anti-mildew agent into WS by using a punctated microcracked structure. Compared with the traditional impregnated WS samples (MDI@IPBC@WS), the effectiveness of punctate microcracked WS (MDI@IPBC@P-WS) for Aspergillus niger V. Tiegh and Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat were 25% and 75% higher, respectively. Additionally, there is a notable improvement in the mechanical characteristics and dimensional stability of MDI@IPBC@P-WS. Compared with WS, the thickness swelling rate (TSR) and width swelling rate (WSR) of MDI@IPBC@P-WS decreased by 51% and 25%, respectively, and the modulus of rupture (MOR) and short-beam strength (SS) increased by 11.9% and 12.1%, respectively. The excellent performance of MDI@IPBC@P-WS may allow it to be widely used in outdoor landscaping and building materials, thus providing a new strategy for the high-value-added utilization of fastgrowing wood. In addition, this minimally invasive method is simple and green and is expected to achieve large-scale and continuous production.