Izabela Betlej, Aneta Bombalska, Karolina Lipska, Miron Kaliszewski, P. Borysiuk
The study aimed to investigate the effect of UV radiation on the chemical and physical changes in pine and birch wood surfaces impregnated with graphene oxide. The samples were exposed to UV radiation with an intensity of 550 W/m2 for 16, 32, and 48 h. FTIR analysis revealed photodegradation of lignin in both wood species. It was indicated that graphene oxide impregnation may slow down the rate of lignin oxidation. Graphene oxide impregnation also affected the change in the surface contact angle, with the differences being more pronounced in birch wood than in pine. Color measurements showed that graphene oxide impregnation significantly altered the initial color of the wood (darkening and a shift towards green and blue), and UV radiation intensified the color changes, especially in birch wood.