Fabrication of superhydrophobic bamboo timber based on an anatase TiO2 film for acid rain protection and flame retardancy

Abstract

A facile method for fabricating superhydrophobic bamboo timber based on an anatase TiO₂ film for acid rain protection and flame retardancy is described in the present work. Bamboo timber with a maximal water contact angle of 154° has been prepared by the hydrothermal deposition of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles and further modified with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS). The geometric microstructure of the anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles and the chemical composition of the superhydrophobic coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The wetting behavior of the bamboo timber samples was investigated by water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The results indicated that strong hydrogen bonds were formed between the amorphous TiO₂ and the hydroxide radicals of the bamboo timber surfaces, and the strong interaction contributed to the heat stability enhancement of the TiO₂/bamboo timber composites. Moreover, the diverse performance of the superhydrophobic bamboo timber has been evaluated as well. The treated bamboo timber exhibited outstanding superhydrophobicity, excellent waterproofing durability, acid rain resistance, and flame retardancy, offering a potential opportunity to accelerate the large-scale production of superhydrophobic woody material for new industrial applications.