Femtosecond Laser Texturing of Wood Coatings with Bio-Based Epoxy and Wax Additives for Enhanced Hydrophobicity

Femtosecond laser surface texturing offers a promising route to tailor the functionality of bio-based wood coatings, yet the interplay between coating composition and laser processing remains poorly understood. In this study, bio-based epoxy coatings with eventual micronized wax additives were textured using a femtosecond laser to investigate the effects of laser processing parameters on pattern formation and resulting hydrophobicity. The epoxy coatings containing PE, PE/PTFE, HDPE, and rice bran waxes at 1, 5, and 7 wt.-% were characterized in terms of morphology, roughness, wettability, and chemical stability, followed by systematic variation of pulse repetition rate and laser power. The results reveal that the ablation threshold strongly depends on intrinsic coating properties. Ablation resistance increases with surface roughness and wax melting enthalpy, reflecting the role of phase transition energy in laser–matter interaction. The wax-filled coatings exhibit a transition from melting-dominated behavior at low energy input to ablation-dominated behavior at a higher energy. Laser texturing enhances hydrophobicity in parallel with theoretical values calculated from the Cassie–Baxter wetting model, with the highest hydrophobicity achieved for coatings combining intrinsic hydrophobicity and stable pattern formation. Chemical analysis confirms limited degradation of the epoxy matrix without significant carbonization, while wax additives provide partial thermal shielding. Overall, this work demonstrates clear options for tailoring surface morphology and wettability of hydrophobic polymer coatings through controlled femtosecond laser processing.