Challenges in wood modification technology on the way to practical applications

During the past decade, researchers worldwide have developed and investigated new treatment techniques to improve intrinsic wood properties. Because of environmental concerns, the pressure on the wood industry is higher than ever before to find alternatives to tropical hardwoods and preservative-treated wood. This is the reason why some new modification technologies, e.g. furfurylation, heat treatments, acetylation and resin treatments, have been introduced to the market. Researchers from universities and research institutes, the wood modification industry, wood producers and consumers face a lot of new challenges. The combination of several research areas, such as chemistry, biology and material technology, unknown and partly new material properties, new production technology, non-existent or inappropriate testing and analytical methods, changed aesthetic properties, etc., are just some of the many bottlenecks to overcome to introduce successfully a new technology to the market.