en.Wedoany.com Reported - Wood, as a natural renewable material, is widely used in construction and handicraft fields, but its surface is susceptible to ultraviolet radiation, leading to photochemical degradation. Iranian researchers recently evaluated an oil-in-water microemulsion coating based on silicone oil and zinc oxide nanoparticles to enhance the UV resistance and surface hydrophobicity of wood. The study conducted experiments on poplar specimens, coating them with silicone oil emulsions containing 0.1% and 0.5% weight ratio of zinc oxide nanoparticles, and performed a 500-hour accelerated UV aging test.

Microscopic observation revealed that the zinc oxide nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the coating, forming a stable oil layer without aggregation. Chromaticity measurement results indicated that using silicone oil coating alone could reduce surface color changes, while adding zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly lowered the total color change ΔE* value. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the treated wood surface exhibited reduced lignin degradation and lower carbonyl formation, showing better protective effects compared to the untreated control group.

This wood coating also improved surface hydrophobic properties. Compared to pure silicone oil coating, the microemulsion containing 0.5% zinc oxide nanoparticles effectively increased the water contact angle and maintained hydrophobicity after UV aging. Furthermore, this coating reduced the water absorption of wood, helping to prevent moisture-induced damage. This research provides new insights for developing environmentally friendly wood protection materials, and the ZnO/silicone oil microemulsion coating shows application potential in enhancing wood durability.

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