Comparative study on weathering resistance of transparent wood infiltrated with three different polymers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Transparent wood (TW) is an emerging composite material made of wood and infiltrated polymer that holds great promise for use in outdoor building components and photovoltaic devices. To assess the weathering resistance of TW, we conducted artificial weathering tests on three types of TW infiltrated with different polymers: epoxy (ETW), methyl methacrylate (MTW), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PTW). After 360 h of artificial weathering, ETW and PTW exhibited less surface roughness, color difference, and volumetric swelling compared to MTW. The equilibrium contact angle rankings were: ETW (42°) > MTW (31°) > PTW (28°). The transmittances of PTW and MTW remained above 60% after weathering, and that of ETW dropped to 40%. Chemical analysis indicated that PTW was least affected by UV-induced degradation, followed by ETW, while MTW was the most severely impacted. Our comprehensive assessment revealed that the weathering resistance of TW can vary depending on the polymer type, with ETW and PTW demonstrating superior resistance compared to MTW. These findings highlight the potential of TW as a durable and sustainable material for outdoor applications and provide valuable data for optimizing the development and utilization of TW.