Paraffin Pickering Emulsion Stabilized with Nano-SiO2 Designed for Wood Impregnation

Wax impregnation is an effective approach to improve wood water resistance. However, melted waxes require special equipment and cannot penetrate deep enough into wood. Recently, wax emulsions show excellent efficiency in wood modification. In this study, paraffin Pickering emulsion stabilized by low dispersed SiO2 nanospheres was used to impregnate poplar wood. The microstructure and storage stability of the emulsion were evaluated. The dimensional stability, water uptake, wettability, and thermal stability of treated wood were also investigated. After homogenization, a milk-white oil-in-water (O/W) paraffin Pickering emulsion stabilized by the nano-SiO2 (diameter of ~76 nm) was formed and demonstrated excellent storage stability. Paraffin Pickering emulsion could penetrate into the wood structure. The emulsion-treated wood was endowed with a moderate anti-swelling efficiency (ASE), high water resistance, and low wettability. Moreover, the addition of nano-SiO2 could improve the thermal stability of the treated wood.