Effects of beech wood surface treatment with polyethylenimine solution prior to finishing with water-based coating

Palija, Tanja (author), Rančić, Milica (author), Djikanović, Daniela (author), Radotić, Ksenija (author), Petrič, Marko (author), Pavlič, Matjaž (author), Jaić, Milan (author)

The surfaces of beech wood samples were treated with polyethylenimine (PEI) solutions at three different concentrations—0.5%, 1% and 2%—and two molecular weights—low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW). The effects of PEI surface treatment of wood were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, the penetration depth of PEI (EPI fluorescence spectroscopy), the bonding position of PEI (by SEM), the wetting and surface energy, and the water uptake. After PEI treatment, the samples were coated with a water-based transparent acrylic coating (WTAC). The dry film thickness, the penetration depth of the coating, the adhesion strength and the surface roughness of the coated wood surface were evaluated. EPI fluorescence and SEM micrographs showed that PEI HMW chains were deposited on the surface, in contrast to PEI LMW, which penetrates deeper into layers of the wood cells. Treatment with a 1% PEI HMW solution resulted in a 72% reduction in water uptake of the wood (compared to untreated samples after 5 min of applying water droplets to the surface) and a 23.2% reduction in surface energy (compared to untreated samples) while maintaining the adhesion strength of the applied WTAC. The lower water uptake of the treated wood samples reduced the roughness of the coated surface, which is particularly important when the wood surface is finished with water-based coatings.

• Language: English
• Keywords: les, polyelectrolyte, polyethyleneimine, water-based coating, wood surface finishing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1-23
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 1, [article no.] 77
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-166310
• UDC: 630*8
• ISSN on article: 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym17010077
• COBISS.SI-ID: 221148675
• Publication date in RUL: 07.01.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Polymers
• Shortened title: Polymers
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2073-4360
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517951257

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: les, polielektrolit, polietileneimi, vodni premaz, površinska obdelava lesa