Hot waxing treatment for the aging resistance of wood

To prevent the degradation of wood surfaces by ultraviolet radiation and liquid water, modified polyethylene wax and modified polyethylene wax/oxidised paraffin composite wax were used for the protection of wood surfaces with hot wax treatment. The effects of natural beeswax coating and modified synthetic wax coating on wood surface aging behavior were also studied.

Lasting hydrophobic protection effect

Results showed that changes in colour, gloss, water uptake, contact angle, micro-morphology, and chemical changes of wood treated with modified synthetic wax hot waxing were less than those of wood treated with natural beeswax hot waxing after long-term aging under ultraviolet (UV) light and water. Among them, the modified polyethylene wax/oxidised paraffin composite wax coating showed the best protective effects on the wood surface, and the composite wax coating reduced the UV penetration and enhanced the UV oxidative degradation resistance. In addition, the synergistic effect of modified polyethylene wax and oxidised paraffin further reduced the water uptake of wood during aging process.

According to the researchers, this data shows that the modified synthetic wax and composite wax coating can effectively inhibit the photooxidative degradation of wood surface, provide a lasting hydrophobic protection effect on wood, and show long-term photostability.

The study has been published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 161, December 2021.