A DURABILITY ASSESSMENT AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOPOLYMER-IMPREGNATED WOOD

This paper proposes a mild alternative passive impregnation method of spruce wood with chitosan and zein biopolymers by using a 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid as a carrier for the impregnant and a swelling agent for the wood structure. The durability of the obtained coatings has been studied by accelerated UV-ageing tests, to provide an insight into the practical applications of the process. The experimental results have indicated relatively high wood percentage gain values for the process, as well as an optimal preservation of the wood surface colour and texture, an increased stability to accelerated ageing determined by the preservation of the values of Brinell hardness, anti-swelling efficiencies and surface energies, in comparison to the non-impregnated reference.