Preparation and weathering properties of Ce/TiO2 anti-UV coating on heat-treated wood

Heat-treated wood is widely used as building exterior wall panels and landscape materials due to its excellent dimensional stability and durability. However, heat-treated wood is susceptible to discoloration and cracking due to ultraviolet radiation, temperature and humidity changes in the outdoor environment. In this study, Ce/TiO2 alcohol solution was prepared by sol-gel method, and the inorganic anti-ultraviolet coating was attached to the surface of wood by brush coating. Then artificial accelerated weathering test was carried out for 672 h to evaluate the weathering behavior of heat-treated wood. UV-Vis spectroscopy and macroscopic morphology analysis of the glass substrate show that the coating has good transparency and effective UV shielding ability. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that the coating successfully adhered to the wood surface and played a good anti-ultraviolet effect. After artificial weathering, the color difference values of unmodified wood, Ce modified wood, TiO2 modified wood and Ce/TiO2 modified wood were 6.04, 4.97, 3.67 and 3.29, respectively. Based on the changes of color and wood chemical composition, the Ce/TiO2 anti-ultraviolet coating can significantly improve the weathering resistance of heat-treated wood, and ultimately limit the degradation degree of surface chemical composition of heat-treated wood.