English
SlovenčinaScientific fields: Technical Sciences, Materials Engineering, 020506 Wood Structure and Properties
Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Department of Wood Science, Department of Wood Technology, Department of Furniture and Wood Products
Faculty of Forestry, Department of Phytology
Main research focus
The research of the excellent team is focused on comprehensive research into the surface properties of lignocellulose materials (mainly wood), film-forming substances (coatings and adhesives) and their chemical-physical modification in order to specifically influence the interactions of wood with these substances in the liquid and solid state. The influence of a whole range of factors influencing surface properties (type of wood, humidity, method of mechanical processing, influence of surface pre-treatment with plasma, nanoparticles, natural polymers, high temperatures, etc.) is also monitored, as well as their impact on the interactions of wood with film-forming substances. The research is also focused on finding ways to increase the stability of the properties of specifically modified wood surfaces and the wood-film-forming substance system under various types of stress.
The following specific areas of research are addressed:
- morphology, chemical structure and colour changes of variously modified wood surfaces,
- wetting of wood with standard liquids, coatings and adhesives and determination of thermodynamic characteristics of wood,
- phenomena at the wood - film-forming substance interface in the liquid and solid state,
- interactions and states of tension at the wood - coating substance phase interface, dimensional and shape stability of the given system under moisture, thermal and mechanical stress,
- colour changes and degradation phenomena of wood and colour stability of surface treatment in the aging process,
- elimination of the influence of abiotic and biotic factors in the aging process on the properties of variously modified wood surfaces and on the colour stability of coating systems intended for exterior and interior wood surface treatment.
Such a comprehensive approach to solving the raised issue would achieve optimization of parameters determining the quality of the wood surface. The achieved results form the basis for developing procedures for its targeted modification in order to significantly increase the quality and stability of the surface treatment and the glued joint, and to limit the impact of aging on both the wood surface itself and the surface after its surface treatment with coatings.
Reasons why the team can be considered top, research-based, or excellent:
The team members have more than 200 publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database with over 1600 citations and an H-index of 18 (2025). The members of the excellent team have achieved a number of significant results in the given area within the framework of different scientific projects. The given issue is currently being successfully continued.