UV-Assisted Multiscale Superhydrophobic Wood Resisting Surface Contamination and Failure

In the modern forestry, the demand for renewable and environmentally friendly wood protection is increasing. This paper reports a green method for preparing stable and self-cleaning superhydrophobic coating for wood protection by dripping polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked hollow silica nanoparticles on the surface of wood in combination with polydimethylsiloxane modification. The coating is based on a laminated structure with layers stacked on the surface of the wood and cured quickly with the assistance of UV. The coatings obtained on wood substrates with appropriate ratios have excellent superhydrophobic properties, with an optimum water contact angle of up to 160.4 ± 0.2°. The coating also exhibits good transparency in the UV-visible spectrum and a maximum transmittance of 91%. With transmission electron microscopy, the microscopic morphology of the self-assembled hollow silica nanoparticles was observed. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were also applied to investigate the morphology and chemical composition of the coatings. A water contact angle of 151.5 ± 0.7° was maintained even after the abrasion tests with sandpaper at a distance of 300 cm. Meanwhile, the resultant coatings exhibit good self-cleaning properties apart from mechanical durability and chemical stability, which enables effective resistance to contamination. Evidenced by the abovementioned data, this composite coating is capable of optimizing the surface wettability of wood, offering a new dimension to the extensive and prolonged application of wood and wood-based products. Furthermore, considering the advantages of this method, it could also be used in other areas in the future, such as glass, solar substrates, and optical devices.