10:00 am - 11:00 am
Event details: A graduate exam seminar is a presentation of the student’s final research project for their degree.
This is an ALES MSc Final Exam Seminar by Ghazanfar Sheikh. This seminar is open to the general public to attend.
MSc with Dr. Janusz Zwiazek.
Thesis Topic: Evaluation of Wood Coatings by the Application of Artificial Weathering Technique
Abstract:
Wood can deteriorate due to harsh weather conditions such as sunlight, heat, and moisture. To protect wood from these elements, coatings can be used. However, there is limited research on how well coated wood performs under different climatic conditions. This thesis aims to evaluate the durability of various wood coatings when applied to the wood of different types of trees after exposing the wood to artificial weathering with a weatherometer to accelerate weathering. The coated wood was then analyzed for surface condition, water absorption, color, and hydrophobicity. Five treatments, including Recochem boiled linseed, CIL, Sikkens Cetol, TWP 205, Armstrong G-Clark, and one control, were applied to samples of aspen (Populus tremuloides), clear pine (Pinus contorta), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and clear cedar (Thuja occidentalis). Weekly evaluations of the wood samples showed that weathering significantly impacted all the examined properties. CIL-coated wood samples exhibited improved resistance to weight, thickness, and contact angle changes, while TWP outperformed others in the color category. The study results can be utilized to enhance the performance and longevity of wood coatings in both existing and new applications.
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