Mariem Zouari, InnoRenew CoE researcher, together with Dr. Laetitia Marrot from Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, and Dr. David B. DeVallance from the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, recently published a scientific article “Functional biocarbon-based coatings for wood protection and indoor air depollution,” in Building and Environment.

Growing concerns about indoor air pollution heighten the need to develop depolluting materials to achieve a healthy built environment. This study developed functional coatings for wooden surfaces in order to reduce indoor formaldehyde concentrations. The biocarbon-MnO2 particles improved acrylic and oil-based coatings’ hydrophobicity, and coatings preserved their original color after aging. Additionally, up to 46 % formaldehyde removal efficiency was achieved with functional coatings, and the developed functional coatings can be potentially used to enhance indoor air quality.