In today’s competitive market technology is essential to maintain leadership in the forest products industry. Despite its limited durability, the wood remains a remarkable material for construction and decoration purposes. The research work of the Nanotechnologies group of Department of Wood and Forest sciences of Laval University targets the water-based wood coatings for exterior (construction, patio, doors, windows, siding) and interior (flooring, furniture, kitchen cabinets) and also the adhesives for forest products.  Improving service life and durability of the wood is possible by nanotechnology approach. The dispersion of nanoparticles into a paint or varnish makes possible to obtain nanocomposites coatings with improved or new properties like: thermal, mechanical, electrical, optical, fire retarding or moisture and UV barrier. Inorganic nanoparticules such as ZnO, TiO₂ and CeO₂ are used to enhance the UV protection for exterior coatings where the Al₂O₃, SiO₂ are used to improved mechanical properties of interior wood coatings. Others group projects use green materials (soy and nanocrystalline cellulose) and advanced technique such plasma treatment to improve the performance of coatings or adhesives and enhance the wood protection.

Waterborne nanocomposite coatings for exterior wood were formulated with inorganic-nanosized UV absorbers in powder and in water-based predispersed form that were added to an industrial formulation (Sico Ltd. Montreal – Akzonobel). The performance of the new nanocomposites coatings was demonstrated trough artificial and natural aging. Electronic microscopy (SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS), AFM, FT-IR with ATR, WV permeability, the appearance changes (color, gloss), DSC and TGA were used to characterize the unaged and aged coatings. The nanoparticles dispersions were characterized by DLS, dynamic viscosity and turbidimetry. Mechanical properties were tested trough Taber abrasion, pull-off tests for adhesion and others. The results have shown improvements in UV-shielding and adhesion properties of the nanocomposites coatings. An efficient dispersion of the nanoparticles combined with optimum loading can provide color stability simultaneous with high protection of the wood substrate.

Beside of the access to research laboratories of Wood Research Centre from University Laval (CRB), this group benefice also from the material and technical support of FPInnovations – Forintek Division (Québec) and CERMA (Research Centre on Advanced Materials from University Laval).