HZ info,A new green approach enables ambient-temperature self-healing superhydrophobic coatings for wood, offering durable protection without harmful fluorinated chemicals or energy-intensive processes.

Wood is a renewable and sustainable construction material, yet its hygroscopic nature limits its durability in outdoor environments. Traditional protective coatings often utilise fluorinated chemicals or energy-intensive processes, contradicting the principles of green chemistry and sustainable development.

Researchers, including Shuai Chen and colleagues, have developed a fluorine-free, energy-efficient strategy for fabricating self-healing superhydrophobic coatings that autonomously restore their functionality at ambient temperature. The coating is prepared via a one-step co-condensation process using octadecylamine (ODA) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) in ethanol. This avoids external energy input and hazardous substances, resulting in a surface with a hierarchical micro/nano structure, an ultralow surface free energy of approximately 6 mJ/m², and a water contact angle exceeding 155°.

Enhanced durability and environmental resilience

The coating exhibits remarkable self-healing capabilities, restoring its superhydrophobicity within 36 hours after mechanical damage or plasma etching. It retains this functionality for up to 43 cycles of damage and repair, alongside exceptional UV stability (water contact angle >140° after 936 hours) and resistance to neutral and alkaline media. By significantly reducing water uptake and improving dimensional stability, the MTMS/ODA coating extends the service life of wood in demanding outdoor conditions.

This scalable and fluorine-free solution offers a practical pathway to enhance wood durability while aligning with sustainable construction and green materials engineering principles.

Source: Chen, S. et al., Ambient-temperature self-healing superhydrophobic coatings: a fluorine-free green strategy for sustainable wood protection. Prog. Org. Coat. 109832 (2025).