Maylis Carrère’s thesis Defense – Ph.D. candidate in wood and bio-based materials engineering – Tuesday, April 29, 2025
You are cordially invited to attend Maylis Carrère’s thesis defense, PhD candidate in wood and bio-based materials engineering, which will take place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 8:30 a.m., in Room PSA-1724, Pavillon des Services (2440, boulevard Hochelaga), Université Laval.
For those who wish to attend online, here is the connection link:
https://ulaval.zoom.us/j/69493206282?pwd=HlabZgDd11VVY1iAYaEhYDe9ymyAd6.1
Jury members
Chair: Alain Cloutier – Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, Université Laval
Supervisor: Véronic Landry – Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, Université Laval
Co-supervisor: Yvan Ecochard – MAPEI Canada
Internal examiner (UL): Anna Ritcey – Faculty of Science and Engineering, Université Laval
External examiner (non-UL): Nicolas Auclair – Cégep de Rimouski
External examiner: Philip D. Evans – University of British Columbia
Title: Development of exterior wood coatings from bio-based raw materials
Abstract: Wood is a natural material valued in construction for its thermal and insulating properties. However, its durability in outdoor environments must be ensured to enhance its role in carbon storage. Preservation treatments and the application of protective coatings are essential to extend its service life while meeting health and environmental standards. When exposed to weathering, wood undergoes degradation due to UV radiation, moisture, and fungal attack. UV rays affect its color and dimensional stability, moisture causes swelling, cracking, and loss of mechanical properties, and fungi further accelerate deterioration through increased permeability and surface staining. Surface coatings provide an effective means of protection. Water-based coatings produced by emulsion polymerization are preferred for their low environmental impact, although they still depend on petrochemical-based components. Incorporating bio-based raw materials such as terpenes derived from forest by-products offers a promising alternative due to their antifungal and antimicrobial properties. This project aimed to develop an exterior wood coating from functionalized monoterpenes. Three main research axes were pursued: the synthesis of latex by miniemulsion polymerization, the optimization of an industry-compatible process, and the formulation of coatings tested under accelerated weathering and fungal exposure. Results show that the bio-based monomers are successfully integrated into the polymer films, which exhibit performance comparable to petrochemical benchmarks. These coatings therefore represent a sustainable alternative for exterior wood protection.