An open-source surface barrier discharge plasma pretreatment for reduced cracking of outdoor wood coatings

The development of a simple surface barrier discharge plasma device is presented to enable more widespread access to and utilization of plasma technology. The application of the plasma device was demonstrated for pretreatment of wood prior to application of protective coatings for outdoor usage. The coatings' overall performance was increased, showing a reduction or absence of cracking due to weathering on plasma-pretreated specimens. Moreover, after ten months of outdoor weathering, the plasma-pretreated specimens showed fewer infections with biotic factors and improved adhesion performance in cross-cut tests, while the surface gloss performed independently from plasma pretreatment. In contrast to that, plasma-pretreated specimens were slightly more prone to discoloration due to outdoor weathering, whereas the plasma pretreatment did not impact the initial color after coating application. Graphic abstract