Metal Oxide Sol-Gels (ZrO2, AlO(OH), and SiO2) to Improve the Mechanical Performance of Wood Substrates

Wood is a renewable material widely used in many applications due to its unique properties and distinctive look. However, as wood is organically constituted, it is slowly destroyed by the long-term impact of oxygen, UV radiations, water, and biological attacks (Mahltig et al., 2008). Therefore, protective treatments are necessary to improve the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of wood. In order to improve the mechanical properties of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), as this species is widely used in the wood products industry, samples of sugar maple were impregnated with sols of metal oxides (AlO(OH), SiO2, and ZrO2). The weight gain and two different techniques of microscopy were used to evaluate the efficiency of the impregnation in the wood samples. The mechanical properties were evaluated using hardness test, scratch test, and impact test. It was shown that the maple samples impregnated with ZrO2 led to the greatest improvement of the mechanical properties