Rebecca E. Ibach
Research Chemist
Forest Biopolymer Science and Engineering
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53726-2398
United States
Madison, WI 53726-2398
United States
Phone
608-231-9472
Research Interest
- Chemical modification for improvement of wood properties
- Solid wood polymer composites
- Integrated approach to wood protection
- Woodfiber-plastic composites durability:
- laboratory and field evaluations
Education
- University of Wisconsin Madison, Ph.D., Wood Chemistry,
Featured Publications
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Plaza, Nayomi. 2019. Using x-ray scattering to elucidate the mechanisms behind the moisture and fungal decay resistance of epoxybutene modified wood
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Hadi, Yusuf Sudo; Clemons, Craig M.; Sulaeman, Yusuf. 2018. Termite resistance of wood-plastic composites made with acetylated wood flour, coupling agent or zinc borate
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.; Chen, George C.. 2017. The use of new, aqueous chemical wood modifications to improve the durability of wood-plastic composites
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.. 2017. Long term durability of wood-plastic composites made with chemically modified wood
- Ibach, Rebecca; Gnatowski, Marek; Sun, Grace; Glaeser, Jessie; Leung, Mathew; Haight, John. 2017. Laboratory and environmental decay of wood–plastic composite boards: flexural properties
- Sun, Grace; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Faillace, Meghan; Gnatowski, Marek; Glaeser, Jessie A.; Haight, John. 2016. Laboratory and exterior decay of wood plastic composite boards: voids analysis and computed tomography
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Gnatowski, Marek; Sun, Grace. 2013. Field and Laboratory Decay Evaluations of wood-plastic Composites
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Rowell, Roger M.. 2012. Chapter 16 Lumen Modification
- Rowell, Roger M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2000. Improvements in decay resistance based on moisture exclusion
- Rowell, Roger M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; McSweeny, James; Nilsson, Thomas. 2009. Understanding decay resistance, dimensional stability and strength changes in heat treated and acetylated wood
Other Publications
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Plaza, Nayomi Z.; Pingali, Sai Venkatesh.. 2022. Small Angle Neutron Scattering Reveals Wood Nanostructural Features in Decay Resistant Chemically Modified Wood
- Frihart, Charles R.; Brandon, Rishawn ; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Hunt, Christopher G.; Gindl-Altmutter, Wolfgang. 2021. Comparative Adhesive Bonding of Wood Chemically Modified with either Acetic Anhydride or Butylene Oxide
- Plaza Rodriguez, Nayomi; Ibach, Rebecca; Pingali, Sai Venkatesh. 2021. Probing the nanostructural mechanisms behind decay resistance of chemically modified wood using small angle neutron scattering
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Rowell, Roger M.. 2021. USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory: Acetylation of Wood 1945–1966
- Plaza, Nayomi Z.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Hasburgh, Laura E.; Taylor, Michael. 2021. Using Thermal Neutron Imaging in Forest Products Research
- Agarwal, Umesh P.; Reiner, Richard S.; Ralph, Sally A.; Catchmark, Jeffery ; Chi, Kai ; Foster, E. Johan; Hunt, Christopher G.; Baez, Carlos ; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Hirth, Kolby C.. 2021. Characterization of the supramolecular structures of cellulose nanocrystals of different origins
- Ibach, Rebecca. 2021. Specialty treatments
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.; Stark, Nicole M.. 2020. Long-term field exposure of wood-plastic composites processed on a commercial-size extruder
- Kirker, Grant ; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2019. The life and work of Bruce Johnson at the Forest Products Laboratory and in the American Wood Protection Association
- Hassan, Babar ; Ahmed, Sohail ; Mankowski, Mark , E. .; Kirker, Grant ; Ibach, Rebecca ; Misbah ul Haq, Muhammad. 2018. Effects of Teak, Tectona grandis Linn, heartwood extractives against Heterotermes indicola (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
- Agarwal, Umesh P.; Ralph, Sally A.; Reiner, Richard S.; Hunt, Christopher G.; Baez, Carlos ; Ibach, Rebecca ; Hirth, Kolby C.. 2018. Production of high lignin-containing and lignin-free cellulose nanocrystals from wood
- Rowell, RM ; Ibach, RE. 2018. Stable and durable wood products based on molecular modification
- Frihart, Charles; Brandon, Rishawn; Beecher, James; Ibach, Rebecca. 2017. Adhesives for Achieving Durable Bonds with Acetylated Wood
- Ibach, Rebecca; Sun, Grace; Gnatowski, Marek; Glaeser, Jessie; Leung, Mathew; Haight, John. 2016. Exterior Decay of Wood-Plastic Composite Boards: Characterization and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Frihart, Charles R.; Yelle, Daniel J.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2015. Wood properties influence bond durability
- Chen, Yao; Stark, Nicole M.; Cai, Zhiyong; Frihart, Charles R.; Lorenz, Linda F.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2014. Chemical Modification of Kraft Lignin: Effect on Chemical and Thermal Properties
- Gnatowski, Marek; Ibach, Rebecca; Leung, Mathew; Sun, Grace. 2014. Magnetic resonance imaging used for the evaluation of water presence in wood plastic composite boards exposed to exterior conditions
- Yilgor, Nural; Kose, Coskun; Terzi, Evren; Figen, Aysel Kanturk; Ibach, Rebecca; Kartal, S. Nami; Piskin, Sabriye. 2014. Degradation Behavior and Accelerated Weathering of Composite Boards Produced from Waste Tetra Pak® Packaging Materials
- Sun, Grace; Ibach, Rebecca; Gnatowski, Marek; Glaeser, Jessie; Leung, Mathew; Haight, John. 2014. Modern Instrumental Methods to Investigate the Mechanism of Biological Decay in Wood Plastic Composites
- Chen, Yao; Tshabalala, Mandla A.; Gao, Jianmin; Stark, Nicole M.; Fan, Yongming; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2014. Thermal behavior of extracted and delignified pine wood flour
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Chen, Yao; Stark, Nicole M.; Tshabalala, Mandla A.; Fan, Yongming; Gao, Jianmin. 2014. Decay resistance of wood-plastic composites reinforced with extracted or delignified wood flour
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Lebow, Patricia K.. 2014. Strength loss in decayed wood
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2013. Chapter 5:Biological Properties of Wood
- Clemons, Craig; Sedlmair, Julia; Illman, Barbara; Ibach, Rebecca; Hirschmugl, Carol. 2013. Chemically imaging the effects of the addition of nanofibrillated cellulose on the distribution of poly(acrylic acid) in poly(vinyl alcohol)
- Sabo, Ronald; Jin, Liwei; Stark, Nicole; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2013. Effect of environmental conditions on the mechanical properties and fungal degradation of polycaprolactone/microcrystalline cellulose/wood flour composites
- Ibach, Rebecca; Lebow, Stan T.. 2012. Wood preservative testing
- Segerholm, B. Kristoffer; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Wålinder, Magnus E.P.. 2012. Moisture Sorption in Artificially aged wood-plastic composites
- Segerholm, B. Kristoffer; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Westin, Mats. 2012. Moisture Sorption, Biological Durability, and Mechanical Performance of WPC Containing Modified Wood and Polylactates
- Olsson, S.; Ostmark, E.; Ibach, R.E.; Clemons, C.M.; Segerholm, K.B.; Englund, F.. 2011. The Use of Esterified Lignin for Synthesis of Durable Composites
- Chen, George C.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2010. Synthesis and evaluation of dioctylaminoborate in wood for brown rot decay protection
- Rowell, Roger M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Nilsson, Thomas. 2010. Wood durability and stability without toxicity
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2010. Specialty treatments
- Chen, George C.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2010. Laboratory evaluation of borate/amine/zinc formulations for fungal decay protection
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2010. Durability of wood-plastic composite lumber
- Bergman, Richard, PhD.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; LaPasha, Constantine; Denig, Joseph. 2009. Evaluating physical property changes for small-diameter, plantation-grown southern pine after in situ polymerization of an acrylic monomer
- Rowell, Roger M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; McSweeny, James; Nilsson, Thomas. 2009. Understanding decay resistance, dimensional stability and strength changes in heat treated and acetylated wood
- Schirp, Anke; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Pendleton, David E.; Wolcott, Michael P.. 2008. Biological degradation of wood-plastic composites (WPC) and strategies for improving the resistance of WPC against biological decay
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.; Schumann, Rebecca L.. 2007. Wood-plastic composites with reduced moisture : effects of chemical modification on durability in the laboratory and field
- Hunt, Christopher G.; Brandon, Rishawn; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Frihart, Charles R.. 2007. What does bonding to modified wood tell us about adhesion?
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.. 2006. Effect of acetylated wood flour or coupling agent on moisture, UV, and biological resistance of extruded woodfiber-plastic composites
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2005. Biological properties
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Ellis, W. Dale. 2005. Lumen modifications
- Brandon, Rishawn; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Frihart, Charles R.. 2005. Effects of chemically modified wood on bond durability
- Clemons, Craig M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2004. Effects of processing method and moisture history on laboratory fungal resistance of wood-HDPE composites.
- Kelley, Stephen S.; Rowell, Roger M.; Davis, Mark; Jurich, Cheryl K.; Ibach, Rebecca. 2004. Rapid analysis of the chemical composition of agricultural fibers using near infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.; Stark, Nicole M.. 2003. Combined ultraviolet and water exposure as a preconditioning method in laboratory fungal durability testing
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2003. Wood preservation
- Clemons, Craig Merrill; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2003. Application of laboratory fungal resistance tests to solid wood and wood-plastic composite
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Clemons, Craig M.. 2002. Biological resistance of polyethylene composites made with chemically modified fiber or flour
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Rowell, Roger M.; Lange, Sandra E.; Schumann, Rebecca L.. 2002. Effect of wet-dry cycling on the decay properties of aspen fiber high-density polypropylene composites.
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Lee, Beom-Goo. 2002. The effect on biological and moisture resistance of epichlorohydrin chemically modified wood
- Clemons, Craig M.; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2002. Laboratory tests on fungal resistance of wood filled polyethylene composites
- Ibach, Rebecca. 2001. Wood preservation based on <em>in situ</em> polymerization of bioactive monomers: Part 2. fungal resistance and thermal properties of treated wood.
- Ibach, Rebecca. 2001. Wood preservation based on <em>in situ</em> polymerization of bioactive monomers: Part 1. Synthesis of bioactive monomers, wood treatments and microscopic analysis
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Hadi, Yusuf Sudo; Nandika, Dodi; Yusuf, Sulaeman; Indrayani, Yuliati. 2000. Termite and fungal resistance of in situ polymerized tributyltin acrylate and acetylated Indonesian and USA wood
- Ibach, Rebecca. 2000. Decay protection based on moisture exclusion resulting from chemical modification of wood
- Ibach, Rebecca E.. 1999. Wood preservation
- Ibach, Rebecca E.; Rowell, Roger M.. 1995. Low polymer levels containing bioactive monomer polymerized in situ provide resistance to Gloeophyllum trabeum
- Agosan, Eduardo ; Blanchette, Robert A.; Silva, Herman ; Lapierre, Catherine ; Cease, Kory R.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Abad, André R.; Muga, Pedro. 1990. Characterization of palo podrido, a natural process of delignification in wood
- Kirk, T.K. ; Highley, T.L. ; Ibach, R. ; Mozuch, M.D.. 1989. Identification of terminal structures in cellulose degraded by the brown-rot fungus Postia placenta
Research Highlights
Termite Resistance of Wood–Plastic Composites
Year: 2018
Wood–plastic composite (WPC) specimens were exposed to termites both in the laboratory and the field in Bogor, Indonesia. On a scale of 0 (complete failure) to 10 (sound), after 30 months field exposure, the WPC made with acetylated wood flour had no attack (10), followed by one with 1% zinc borate ...
Lumen filling and sol-gel reinforcement of the wood cell wall
Year: 2011
FPL researchers used a two-prong strategy to enhance weathering properties of wood. This dual treatment showed promise in protecting wood against the combined effects of sunlight and moisture.
Centennial Edition, Wood Handbook—Wood as an Engineering Material
Year: 2010
The Wood Handbook—Wood as an Engineering Material serves as a primary reference document for a wide variety of users-from the general public through architects and design engineers who use wood in highly engineered structures.