Surface properties of oak wood (Quercus castaneifolia) coated with polyester reinforced with ceramic nanoparticles using a plasma deposition technique

Abstract The surface performance and weathering resistance of wood products often depend on the applied coating and reinforcing additives. In this paper, polyester film with the contribution of ceramic nanoparticles (contains zinc oxide, ZnO) was deposited on the oak wood ( Quercus castaneifolia ) surfaces via atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) technology. The polyester coating applied with an applicator and uncoated wood samples served as controls. The surface properties such as surface roughness, contact angle, wear index, wear depth and hardness values of the samples were analyzed before and after 720-h exposure to the artificial accelerated weathering test. The results demonstrated that the surface properties of oak samples were considerably improved after coating, and superior performances were observed in the plasma-deposited coating layer, particularly the ones reinforced with ceramic nanoparticles. This indicates a potential for using the plasma deposition method for coating and enhancing the surface properties of wood.