UV-protection of wood surfaces by controlled morphology fine-tuning of ZnO nanostructures
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Author / Producer
Date
2016-08
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
One of the most significant limitations for a wider utilisation of the renewable and CO2-storing resource wood is its low ultraviolet (UV) light stability. The protection of the wood surface without altering its aesthetic appeal requires an optically transparent but UV protective coating which should be strongly attached to the rough and inhomogeneous substrate. For this purpose, ZnO nanostructures were deposited onto the wood surface via a chemical bath deposition process. The morphology of crystalline ZnO was controlled by aluminium nitrate or ammonium citrate in the growth step resulting in nanorod arrays or platelet structures, respectively. Detailed structural, chemical and mechanical characterisations as well as accelerated weathering exposure revealed the effective performance of the platelet structure, which formed a dense and thin ZnO coating on spruce. The total colour change (ΔE in the CIE system) was calculated to be 20.5 for unmodified wood, while it was about three for the modified samples after 4 weeks accelerated weathering test. Moreover, the ZnO coating also suppressed crack initiation and propagation indicating a substantial increase in durability.
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Publication status
published
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Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
70 (8)
Pages / Article No.
699 - 708
Publisher
De Gruyter
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Chemical bath deposition; CIE L*a*b* system; colour change upon UV irradiation; surface coating by dense ZnO layer; UV protection of wood; weathering of wood; wood surface; zinc oxide (ZnO); ZnO nanorods; ZnO platelets
Organisational unit
03917 - Burgert, Ingo / Burgert, Ingo
Notes
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.