Wood is a sustainable material, but its tendency to crack and decay poses a challenge for its applications. In this study, we developed a combination system of nitrogen-doping carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to repair wood cracks. Rather than employing the conventional repairing methods such as filling cracks with sawdust and petroleum based-adhesives, this technique can make the split wood “regenerate”. Here, N-CQDs penetrate deeply into the wood cell walls, bulking them and serving as a medium between PVA and wood. N-CQDs also facilitate the curing of PVA, thereby enhancing the overall robustness of the repairing, with a dry shear strength reaching 2.8 MPa. Furthermore, the cured wood demonstrates outstanding decay resistance due to the fungicidal character of N-CQDs, which exhibit a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 120 to 180 ppm. This technique not only offers promise for the restoration and preservation of wooden relics and artifacts, but also presents potential solution for eco-friendly adhesion in wood-based products, including glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT).

Download document (1.1 Mb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document