The purpose of this study was to evaluate the wettability and surface roughness of 11 Amazonian
hardwoods. Surface roughness was evaluated by a profilometer, while wettability was measured
by a goniometer. Distillated water and phenol-formaldehyde were employed to study wood
wettability. A 10-μL drop was placed on the wood surface and the contact angle was measured
every 2 seconds for 120 seconds. The Virola michelii and Trattinnickia burserifolia wood
specimens analyzed presented different roughness values according to the surface evaluated,
radial or tangential. Regarding wettability, Virola michelii wood showed the lowest water
contact angle on the tangential surface, while the radial surface presented better wettability for
phenol-formaldehyde. The wettability of the species studied was not clearly affected by surface
roughness, which depends on wood density.
