ANR - Development of functional, nanostructured coatings on wood surfaces using cold, atmospheric-pressure plasmas

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Wood is usually considered a fine, strong material, but one that requires regular and meticulous maintenance, a characteristic that makes it less desirable when marketed for outdoor applications. Liquid coatings are routinely used to protect wood against deterioration. However, these coatings are often characterized by poor adhesion on wood and usually imply toxic solvents. In this research, we propose to develop an alternative, yet unexplored approach for the growth of functional coatings on bulk, wood surfaces. This research will rely on the use of cold, atmospheric-pressure plasmas controlled by dielectric barriers. An important outcome of this project will be the development of a process based on a low-cost plasma tool operated at atmospheric pressure that has the advantage of being eco-friendly while offering high throughputs and a broad flexibility in terms of coatings that can be deposited. The emphasis will be put on coatings that provide superhydrophobic wood surfaces and that improve the resistance of wood to UV radiation and biological attacks. Because of the wide range of knowledge required to address efficiently all the challenges associated to the growth of functional coatings on wood using atmospheric-pressure plasmas, we have formed a team with Canadian and French researchers that have diverse and complementary expertises. The possibility offered by the joint NSERC/ANR program thus represents a unique opportunity for the team members not only to provide a significant contribution to a domain of strategic interest for both Canada and France, but also to integrate their research project in a strategy aiming at sharing knowledge, infrastructure, and responsibilities of HQP training. To ensure a remarkable benefit of this research to Canada and France, our team can rely on the support of a