Graphene-Enriched Acrylic Paint to Protect Unheated and Heat-Treated Wood Species Against Coniophora puteana.

Graphene was added to acrylic paint to be coated on two sets of unheated and heat-treated specimens of three commercial wood species (namely beech, poplar, and spruce) to protect against Coniophora puteana. Heat treatment was carried out at the mild temperature of 185 °C for four hours in a laboratory oven and under atmospheric pressure. Each of the two sets were divided into three sub-groups of uncoated (control), coated with plain paint, and coated with graphene-enriched paint to be exposed to the fungus. Results showed that coating of specimens with the plain acrylic paint significantly protected all three wood species against the fungus. Still, reinforcing effect of graphene resulted in an even higher degree of protection, and it slightly increased compression strength compared to grain as well. Heat treatment also improved biological resistance in all three wood species, which is seen in the drastic decrease of the mass losses. It also increased compression strength as a result of hornification and thermal alterations of cell-wall polymers. It was concluded that graphene-added acrylic paint can be recommended as an easy and available superficial protecting method to significantly protect both hard- and softwoods against C. puteana.