Towards the Development of One-Step Scalable Self-Cleaning and Stain-Resistant Coating on Cellulosic Wood

In this study, hydrophilic cellulosic wood (Tectona grandis) is modified into superhydrophobic wood with the aid of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and silica nanoparticles (SiO₂) using one-step facile method. The prepared superhydrophobic wood possessed water contact angle (WCA) of 167 ± 2° and the sliding angle was less than 4°. The surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and it showed agglomeration of nanostructures on the surface of superhydrophobic wood. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyse the functional groups present on the produced wood, and the results showed the existence of – \({{\text{CH}}}_{2}\) ${\text{CH}}_2$ and – \({{\text{CH}}}_{3}\) ${\text{CH}}_3$ groups. The exceptional self-cleaning and stain resistance of modified wood made it suitable for a variety of applications. Also, it is mechanically durable as it underwent and sustained tape peeling, sand abrasion and water jet impact. The modified wood demonstrated excellent durability in exposure to UV and on exposure to solutions of varying pH. This makes the fabricated wood suitable for various applications.