Abstract: The aim of the present study is to subject Pinus elliottii wood specimens to TiO2-based modification in order to make them resistant to water and UV radiation. The microwave-assisted solvothermal method, which is little reported in the literature, was here in use for this purpose. The adopted methodology led to a 1 % mass gain; although it was a low value, it was enough to fully coat the surface of the wood with nanoparticles to the extent of changing its characteristics and turning it into a functional material. The nanoparticle distribution on the surface of the wood changed your natural topography by increasing the surface area and, consequently, increasing the contact angle of the modified wood (approximately 130°). The leaching test showed that the wood remained coated after it was immersed in water, as well as that it did not lose its water-repelling ability. This result demonstrates the stable interaction between the two materials, due to hydroxyl radicals found in them. The coating also protected the wood against UV radiation for 500 hours of intense exposure, besides preserving its initial color. The properties achieved through this simple and fast modification process provide an alternative to help to improve the performance of the herein investigated wood species, mainly for applications in environments subjected to high solar incidence and humidity.

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study is to investigate the resistance of Eucalyptus botryoides treated with TiO2 particles to attack by the fungus Ganoderma applanatum. The Bethel treatment method was applied to wood specimens (25 × 25 × 9 mm) and compared to CCB. The wood was subjected to the accelerated decay test and characterized through Rockwell Hardness and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The TiO2-treated wood showed lower degradation and greater resistance to the penetration of a steel sphere (Rockwell Hardness) than the untreated wood. In addition, the results of the TiO2 treatment were statistically equal to those of CCB. The FT-IR analysis showed that the fungus degraded lignin and hemicellulose in untreated samples. The present results showed the TiO2 efficiency in forming a protective layer on the cell wall and in preventing the development of microorganisms, a fact that verifies its fungicidal action on wood.