Testing the photostability of acetylated and boiled linseed oil-coated common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) wood

Abstract

In this study, the effect of acetylation and coating with boiled linseed oil was evaluated concerning the photodegradation of common hornbeam wood (Carpinus betulus L.). To measure colour stability, a 10-month-long outdoor weather resistance test without soil contact was performed as well as artificial aging using a 200 hour mercury-vapour lamp irradiation test. The measurements were done on hornbeam, acetylated hornbeam, boiled linseed oil-treated hornbeam, and acetylated and boiled linseed oil-treated hornbeam samples. The control and treated samples' colour change was determined by comparing them to the original colour in all cases. The photodegradation process was examined with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. Acetylated hornbeam was less prone to crack, but the modification did not hinder the fading and greying caused by UV irradiation. Coating the samples with boiled linseed oil decreased the rate of colour change and cracking. The photodegradation of lignin was confirmed by the FTIR spectra.