In contrast to the low-level use of silicone polymers as additives, silicone resins can be major components of the coating. Here they are used as binders or co-binders, imparting important benefits such as durability throughout the life of the coating. Silicone resins offer resistance to weathering in paints for exterior surfaces such as bridges and metal cladding on buildings. They also provid...

The weathering of volcanic rocks contributes significantly to the global silicate weathering budget, effecting carbon dioxide drawdown and long-term climate control. The rate of chemical weathering is influenced by the composition of the rock. Rock-dwelling micro-organisms are known to play a role in changing the rate of weathering reactions; however, the influence of rock composition on bio-we...

We used cosmogenic nuclide and geochemical mass balance methods to measure long-term rates of chemical weathering and total denudation in granitic landscapes in diverse climatic regimes. Our 42 study sites encompass widely varying climatic and erosional regimes, with mean annual temperatures ranging from 2 to 25 jC, average precipitation ranging from 22 to 420 cm year , and denudation rates ran...

It has been hypothesized that predecessors of today's bryophytes significantly increased global chemical weathering in the Late Ordovician, thus reducing atmospheric CO2 concentration and contributing to climate cooling and an interval of glaciations. Studies that try to quantify the enhancement of weathering by non-vascular vegetation, however, are usually limited to small areas and low number...

Much of the literature that analyzes the effect of various factors on basaltic weathering rates does not assess the synergistic effects of several factors at once. Those studies that do address such synergies generally report their results in formats that are difficult to integrate into geographic analysis. The research outlined in this paper employs multivariate statistics to assess the effect...

The isotope ratios of Sr are useful tracers for studying parent material sources, weathering processes, and biogeochemical cycling. Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of two lateritic weathering covers, in an area close to the Tropic of Cancer (Guangxi Province, southern China), were undertaken to study the regional weathering processes and Sr isotopic sources. We found that weatherin...

Thermally modified wood is widely used in cladding, decking, and other construction projects that are meant for outdoor exposure. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the color, microstructure, and chemical composition of heat-treated, Larix spp. wood that was exposed to artificial weathering. In this study, accelerated weathering tests (UV and moisture) were conducted over a...

Meteorites are frequently not the pristine record of early solar system processes that we would like them to be. Many unique meteorites, samples that can further our understanding of the environment of the early solar system, are finds, so a knowledge of terrestrial weathering becomes a requirement to accurately interpret their preterrestrial history. This chapter outlines the weathering proces...

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of natural weathering in ground contact on biological resistance, modulus of rupture, and color stability of heat-treated alder wood. Chemical composition of weathered wood was also studied by FTIR-ATR spectra. Wood stakes were heated at 150, 180, and 200°C for periods of 2, 6, and 10 hours, and the stakes were subsequently exposed to na...

Growing interest on bio-based material has led to focus on environmentally benign wood treatment systems because of the environmental concerns. Tall oil is a by-product from pulp and paper industry, contains resin and fatty acids, and is biodegradable. Tall oil treated wood can provide some reduction in water uptake and increase in decay resistance. In this research crude tall oil was dissolved...