Improvement of Color Stability of Acacia Hybrid Wood by TiO2 Nano Sol Impregnation

In this study, the TiO2-impregnation of wood from acacia hybrid (Acacia mangium x auriculiformis) was achieved by combined pressure-impregnation and hydrothermal post-treatment. The ultraviolet (UV) resistance of the obtained TiO2-impregnated wood was examined by measuring the changes in color after 960 h of UV irradiation. Results showed that the color stability against UV irradiation of the TiO2-impregnated wood was significantly improved compared to that of the untreated acacia hybrid wood. Furthermore, the prepared wood samples were characterized using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. FE-SEM and EDX analyses showed that the TiO2 micro- and nanoparticles, with rod-like shapes, were located on the inner surfaces of the wood vessels. Additionally, the crystal structure of the TiO2, with an anatase phase, was demonstrated by XRD analysis. This study suggests that the presence of an anatase TiO2 can improve the UV resistance of fabricated wood samples.