Influence of the Hot-pressing Process on the Durability of Totora (Schoenoplectus Californicus C.A. Mey. Soják) Binderless Boards against Wood-decaying Organisms

Totora (Schoenoplectus californicus C.A. Mey. Soják) is a macrophyte from the Cyperaceae family that grows in the Americas. Recent studies have shown the feasibility of producing binderless boards using different tissues of totora stems. However, no data about the durability of raw totora stems or totora binderless boards have been published before. Therefore, durability tests were conducted to study their durability against wood-decaying organisms. Results showed that binderless boards produced by hot-pressing process showed higher resistance against white-rot fungi and termites than the raw material. Chemical changes induced by the hot-pressing process were studied and compared with observed durability values to identify possible correlations.