Resistência de nove painéis à base de madeira a cupins subterrâneos, em ensaio de preferência alimentar.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the resistance of nine woodbase materials to subterranean termites, under feeding preference test. The tested wood-base materials were the plywood for industrial use, particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF), plywood for concrete form use, plywood for furniture, immunized plywood (4 mm), hard density fiberboard (SIS), immunized plywood (15 mm) and the plywood for structural use. The resistance of these materials was compared to Pimts sp. and sumauma (Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaert.) solid woods. These woods were considered as of low resistance to xylophages. These materials, except the plywood for industrial use, plywood for concrete form use, plywood (4 mm) and the SIS (3 mm), were transformed in test samples measuring 10.16 x 2.54 x 1.50 cm (38,71 cm3) with the largest dimension in the length direction (panels) or in the fibers direction (woods). The other panels with thickness different from 1.50 cm were transformed in test samples with width different of 2.54 cm to obtain samples with similar volumes to the other materials. In order to facilitate the homogenization of volumes of samples, the SIS and plywood (4 mm) test samples were constituted of a sample compound of four and three material layers, respectively. The materials were exposed for 45 days to the Nasutitermes subterranean termites action. The more resistant panels were the MDF and particleboard and the less resistance was the SIS. This panel was compared to the sumauma, having been completely destroyed. The plywood for industrial use was the most resistance plywood and the most deteriorated were the non-imunizated plywoods. The plywood for concrete form was more deteriorated than the imunizated plywoods. The Pinus sp. solid wood was so resistance as plywood for industrial use and the particleboard. The MDF and particleboard performance could to be associated to substances added in these panels on manufacture process.