Raw and analyzed data for manuscript "Interaction of a radical scavenger from UV-protective coatings with air plasma-pretreated wood surfaces"

Abstract Plasma treatment is being investigated to enhance the surface reactivity of wood substrates prior to coating application; however, its impact on UV-protective systems containing radical-scavenging additives remains insufficiently understood. In this study, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to investigate chemical modifications induced by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment on spruce and beech wood surfaces and to assess their interaction with solvent-based UV-protective coatings. Emphasis was placed on coatings (specifically Beltop) containing the hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) Tinuvin® 292. While previous work indicated a slight deterioration in coating performance on plasma-treated spruce, the present XPS analysis provides molecular-level insight into this behavior. For Beltop-coated spruce, plasma pretreatment led to less favorable oxygen bonding ratios, suggesting reduced mobility of the sebacate ester backbone. To isolate HALS-related effects, a concentrated Tinuvin 292 model system was analyzed, revealing wood-species-dependent responses to plasma oxidation. Spruce surfaces, characterized by higher guaiacyl lignin content, exhibited more pronounced oxidation than beech. Overall, the results indicate that plasma treatment can alter surface chemistry in ways that may compromise the effectiveness of HALS-based UV protection, suggesting that plasma pretreatment is not universally beneficial for such coating systems. The manuscript has been submitted for publication to the journal Applied Surface Science