Improved hydrophobicity for wood surfaces
In a recent study, researchers have succeeded in turning a hydrophilic wood surface into a hydrophobic one.
Wetting remains a key problem in wood finishing because water causes deterioration and reduces the durability of wood. In a recent study, hydrophilic wood has been modified into a hydrophobic wood through simple surface coating using polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) / reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-poly (diallyl dimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA).
The synthesised graphene oxide (GO) from graphene flakes was used for chemical modification with urotropin in presence of sodium borohydride. The hydrophobic property of PVAc has been increased by modified graphene oxide dispersed at the presence of PDDA in methanol. The synthesised polymer composite was used as a coating on various wood surfaces.
Increased water contact angle
The water contact angle of wood surfaces coated with PVAc/rGO-PDDA was 187.8 % better than uncoated wood and 20.7 % better than PVAc coated wood and 2.4 % better than commercial wood stain coated wood. According to the researchers, this facile, low cost and eco-friendly approach could be used in a variety of applications.
The study has been published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 156, July 2021.
