Improvement of Heat-Treated Wood Coating Performance Using Atmospheric Plasma Treatment and Design of Experiments Method

Abstract

The aim of this work is to improve the heat-treated wood coating performance using experimental design methodology and air-plasma treatment. Firstly, two different heat treatment processes were applied to the wood samples. In the second stage of the study, air-atmospheric plasma treatment was applied to heat-treated samples. These samples were coated with water-based varnish. Adhesion strength and colour change values of these samples before and after the artificial weathering test were measured. The design of experiments method was used to investigate the significant factors. The heat treatment process (212 degrees C-1 h and 212 degrees C-2 h) and atmospheric plasma treatment parameters (pressure, distance, and feed) were selected as independent variables, while adhesion strength and colour change were determined as dependent variables. The factors affecting the surface coating performance before and after the artificial weathering test were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pareto plot. In addition, the factor levels that maximise the adhesion strength value and minimise the colour change were found using the multiobjective optimisation technique. According to the multiobjective optimisation method, results of treatment feed, working distance, and pressure of 60 mm/s, 7.69 mm, and 1 bar were considered as optimum plasma treatment conditions, respectively, for heat treatment process A. Corresponding values for the heat treatment process B were 60 mm/s, 10 mm, and 2 bar.