An environmental-friendly, economical and facile method to construct hydrophobic system for improving wood repellency was applied in this study. Using paraffin wax and carnauba mixed wax O/W emulsions can simultaneously fabricate continuous wax films and rough structures in wood internal and external surface under appropriate heat treatment. In the study, single and mixed wax emulsions of 4% solid content were prepared for wood impregnation with subsequent heat treatment at 70oC. The water absorption, dimensional stability and contact angle of treated wood were determined, and the micromorphology of double-layer model was presented by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). Furthermore, the water distribution and water state were analyzed by Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR). The results indicate that micron-submicron rough structure and water-proof wax film could be both observed after demulsification and redistribution of mixed wax emulsions, which rendered wood hydrophobicity and long term water repellency.

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