Immobilization of Cu2+ enhances the anti-mould properties of bamboo by addition of ZnO nanoparticles

Abstract Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) is widely used to improve the anti-mould properties of bamboo in industry. In this paper, ZnO nanoparticles are employed to enhance the immobilization of Cu2+, further improving the anti-mould performance of bamboo materials. The dispersibility of ZnO nanoparticles in the ACQ solution was studied by an orthogonal test. The loss rates of Cu2+ in the bamboo specimens were measured. The results indicate that the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles helps to mitigate Cu2+ leaching and further enhance the antibacterial properties of the bamboo specimens.