Silica sol for wood modification

#Application ·2025-08-21 17:05:47

• Characteristics
  • Moderate particle size: The particle size is usually between tens of nanometers and hundreds of nanometers. Smaller particle size is conducive to penetration in wood and can better fill the pores and intercellular Spaces of wood, but a particle size that is too small may cause stability issues. Larger particle sizes may form a better covering layer on the wood surface, but their penetration ability is relatively weak.
  • Good permeability: Silica sol can penetrate into the interior of wood through channels such as cell cavities, pores and intercellular Spaces. Its penetration ability is related to factors such as particle size, concentration and the type of wood. Generally speaking, silica sol with smaller particle size is more likely to penetrate into wood at the initial stage of impregnation. As the impregnation time increases, the influence of particle size decreases.
  • High chemical reactivity: The surface of silica sol particles is rich in hydroxyl groups (-OH), which can undergo condensation reactions with the hydroxyl groups in wood cellulose molecules, thereby forming a strong chemical bond between silica sol and wood and enhancing the fixation effect of silica sol in wood.
  • Good stability: Within a certain range of temperature and pH values, the special silica sol for wood modification has excellent chemical stability, is not prone to coagulation or precipitation, and can maintain its performance stability during the wood modification process.
• Its role in wood modification
  • Improving the mechanical properties of wood: After silica sol penetrates into the interior of wood, it fills the voids between wood fibers and combines with wood fibers through chemical bonds, forming an organic-inorganic composite network structure, thereby enhancing the hardness, compressive strength, flexural strength and wear resistance of wood. For instance, the compressive strength along the grain of the treated material with a weight gain rate of 78% can be increased by approximately 50% compared to the raw material, its hardness increases by 1.7 times, and its flexural strength and flexural elastic modulus rise by 61% and 86% respectively, while the mass wear rate is reduced by 75%.
  • Improving the dimensional stability of wood: The network structure formed by silica sol within wood can restrict the water absorption and loss expansion and contraction of wood fibers, thereby reducing the moisture absorption and volume shrinkage rate of wood, enhancing the dimensional stability of wood, and reducing the deformation and cracking of wood caused by humidity changes during use.
  • Enhancing the corrosion resistance and durability of wood: The inorganic coating formed by silica sol can to a certain extent prevent moisture, oxygen and corrosive substances from coming into contact with wood, thereby improving the corrosion resistance and durability of wood and extending its service life. In addition, silica sol can also enhance the flame retardancy of wood, making it less likely to catch fire.
• Application method: Usually, the impregnation method is adopted to apply the special silica sol for wood modification to wood modification. The specific process involves immersing the wood in a solution containing silica sol and subjecting it to impregnation under vacuum or normal pressure conditions to ensure that the silica sol fully penetrates into the interior of the wood. Then, through subsequent treatments such as drying, the silica sol solidifies in the wood to achieve a modified effect.
• Application fields: Specialized silica sol for wood modification is widely used in furniture manufacturing, architectural decoration, wood flooring, doors and Windows, and other fields. It can enhance the performance and quality of wood, extend its service life, and also help promote the efficient utilization and sustainable development of wood resources.