Hollow Mesoporous Microspheres Coating for Super-Hydrophobicity Wood with High Thermostability and Abrasion Performance

Preparation of a Superhydrophobic Surface by a One-Step Powder Pressing Method with Liquid Silicone Rubber As the Carrier

The preparation methods of the superhydrophobic surface play an important role in its application, but most of the existing preparation methods are complicated in operation, high in cost, and polluting to the environment. In order to find a simple, rapid, low-cost, and nonenvironmentally polluting preparation method of the superhydrophobic surface, this paper used liquid silicone rubber as the carrier. Before the liquid silicone rubber was nearly cured, it was evenly covered with a layer of silicon dioxide powder, and then 5 N weight was used to compact the powder on the rubber surface, so that the superhydrophobic surface was quickly formed on its surface. The wettability, bouncing performance, self-cleaning performance, and bending durability of liquid silicone rubber before and after treatment were compared. The results show that the static contact angle and rolling angle of the liquid silicone rubber after powder pressing were 158.22 ± 2.01° and 1.00 ± 0.50°, respectively. Moreover, the superhydrophobic surface formed by the powder pressing method had good self-cleaning performance, high temperature resistance, bending resistance, and excellent droplet bounce performance. The strategy of preparing a superhydrophobic surface by a one-step powder pressing method may be applied to the preparation of the superhydrophobic surface on a large scale.

A sound-absorbing and heat-insulating collagen fiber composite material

Using methacrylic acid (MAA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as core monomers and polystyrene as the shell layer, polymer hollow microspheres (PHM) with good stability were prepared by using an alkali osmotic swelling method followed by spray drying. The average size of the PHM was approximately 875 nm. As a filling cross-linking agent, the PHM were added to a skin collagen material to disperse and fix, and a “polymer hollow microsphere composite collagen fiber” (PHCC) material was obtained. The results show that the PHM improve the mechanical strength, thermal stability and water resistance of the skin collagen material. The PHCC material has a low thermal conductivity (0.035 W/(K·m)) and excellent sound insulation performance and retains the soft and delicate touch of leather, which has application value in high-grade decorative materials and functional leather. This provides a new approach for developing flexible sound-absorbing thermal insulation materials.

Trends in Chemical Wood Surface Improvements and Modifications: A Review of the Last Five Years

Increasing the use of wood in buildings is regarded by many as a key solution to tackle climate change. For this reason, a lot of research is carried out to develop new and innovative wood surface improvements and make wood more appealing through features such as increased durability, fire-retardancy, superhydrophobicity, and self-healing. However, in order to have a positive impact on the society, these surface improvements must be applied in real buildings. In this review, the last five years of research in the domain of wood surface improvements and modifications is first presented by sorting the latest innovations into different trends. Afterward, these trends are correlated to specifications representing different normative, ecologic and economic factors which must be considered when expecting to introduce a wood treatment to the market. With this review, the authors hope to help researchers to take into consideration the different factors influencing whether new innovations can leave the research laboratory or not, and thereby facilitate the introduction of new wood surface treatments in the society.

Facile production of smart superhydrophobic nanocomposite for wood coating towards long-lasting glow-in-the-dark photoluminescence

A smart photoluminescent nanocomposite surface coating was prepared for simple industrial production of long-persisting phosphorescence and superhydrophobic wood. The photoluminescent nanocomposite coatings were capable of continuing to emit light in the dark for prolonged time periods that could reach 1.5 h. Lanthanide-doped aluminium strontium oxide (LASO) nanoparticles at different ratios were immobilized in polystyrene (PS) and developed as a nanocomposite coating for wood substrates. To produce transparency in the prepared nanocomposite coating, LASO was efficiently dispersed in the form of nanoscaled particles to ensure homogeneous dispersion without agglomeration in the PS matrix. The coated wood showed an absorption band at 374 nm and two emission bands at 434 nm and 518 nm. The luminescence spectra showed both long-persisting phosphorescence as well as photochromic fluorescence relying on the LASO ratio. The improved superhydrophobicity and resistance to scratching of the coated wood could be attributed to the LASO NPs incorporated in the polystyrene matrix. Compared with the uncoated wood substrate, the coated LASO-PS nanocomposite film also displayed photostability and high durability. The current study demonstrated the potential high-scale manufacturing of smart wood for some applications such as safety directional signs in buildings, household products, and smart windows.

A Superhydrophobic, Antibacterial, and Durable Surface of Poplar Wood

The silver particles were grown in situ on the surface of wood by the silver mirror method and modified with stearic acid to acquire a surface with superhydrophobic and antibacterial properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray energy spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the reaction mechanism of the modification process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle tests were used to characterize the wettability and surface morphology. A coating with a micro rough structure was successfully constructed by the modification of stearic acid, which imparted superhydrophobicity and antibacterial activity to poplar wood. The stability tests were performed to discuss the stability of its hydrophobic performance. The results showed that it has good mechanical properties, acid and alkali resistance, and UV stability. The durability tests demonstrated that the coating has the function of water resistance and fouling resistance and can maintain the stability of its hydrophobic properties under different temperatures of heat treatment.