A durable superhydrophobic coating for the protection of wood materials

Durable superhydrophobic composite coating of alumina nanoparticles and PDMS was developed to avoid the degradation of wood in humid environment. For this purpose, commercially available alumina nanoparticles were employed to form a rough surface, which was then chemically modified with polydiemethylsiloxane (PDMS) to attain superhydrophobic properties. Several alternate layers of nanoparticles and PDMS were prepared to ensure durable superhydrophobic properties, which were evaluated by emery paper abrasion and water impact tests. The optimized coating was applied on wood substrates to restrict their contact with water. The superhydrophobic character of wood specimens after coating was examined by change in contact angle with time and observing the water absorbance in coated and uncoated wood specimens.