Weathering Performance of Spruce Coated with Water Based Acrylic Paint Modified with TiO₂ and Clay Nanoparticles

This work examines the effect of wood specimens coated with water based acrylic coatings modified with TiO₂ and clay nanoparticles against weathering strain. The long-term durability of the specimens towards climate strain was studied within a relatively short time frame by accelerated climate ageing. The surface changes that occurred as a result of photodegradation of the specimens subjected to accelerated climate exposures were studied using colour measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results revealed a significant decrease in the intensity of lignin bands attributed to degradation of the lignin component of the wood. However, the intensity of the lignin photodegradation was lower for coated specimens, with slightly lower degradation for the specimens coated with paints modified with TiO₂ and unmodified montmorillonite clay nanoparticles.