Abstract
The poor durability and complex production process are two tough challenges for the practical application of superhydrophobic wood. In this work, high-mechanical-resistance superhydrophobic wood was fabricated by a one-step hydrothermal vacuum dipping method using SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) in combination with vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). The as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces exhibited water contact angles (CAs) greater than 152° and water sliding angles (SAs) less than 3°. It also exhibited robust stability and durability in harsh conditions, including finger wiping, water brushing, intense sandpaper abrasion, and severe ultrasonic cleaning. The superhydrophobic surface was created by the random distribution of oligomer-wrapped SiO2 NP spheres having different sizes. Further testing showed that the SiO2 NPs were firmly fixed on the wood substrate via chemical bonding, which contributed to the high wear resistance. The modification method developed in this work provides a simple and efficient route to fabricate large-scale, mechanically stable, and durable superhydrophobic surfaces for advanced engineering materials.
Highlights
Being renewable and environmentally friendly, having superior physical strength as well as being aesthetically pleasing, wood has been widely used in mankind0 s daily lives in various applications, including construction, indoor decoration, furniture, and flooring [1]
We investigate if SiO2 NPs modified by low surface energy vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) can efficiently generate a superhydrophobic surface via a one-step hydrothermal vacuum dipping process
Can SiO2 NPs be used to create hierarchical roughness and can VTES act as the adhesive for fixing SiO2 NPs on a wood surface? we study if the resulting superhydrophobic wood can display robust mechanical stability and durability in harsh conditions
Summary
Being renewable and environmentally friendly, having superior physical strength as well as being aesthetically pleasing, wood has been widely used in mankind0 s daily lives in various applications, including construction, indoor decoration, furniture, and flooring [1]. By converting the hydrophilic hydroxyl groups into hydrophobic groups via chemical modification, the water resistance and dimensional stability of wood can be significantly improved. This will be beneficial to increase their durability and extend their service life [2,3,4]. The design of the superhydrophobic surface on wood is a promising method to solve the hygroscopicity problem [5]. The superhydrophobic surface can be achieved by the following two approaches: (1) the creation of a suitable hierarchical roughness, and (2) the chemical modification of rough surfaces with low surface energy materials [6,7,8]. Artificial superhydrophobic surfaces have been fabricated on various materials via the above-mentioned methods, the build processes are tedious and Forests 2019, 10, 750; doi:10.3390/f10090750 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests
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