The photocatalytic and anti-photoaging performance of zinc oxide/polyvinyl alcohol-fabricated micro-nano structured wood via magnetron sputtering

Fast-growing wood has surface porosity, loose structure, soft texture and light-induced discoloration. These drawbacks restrict its applications. Nano-sized zinc oxide (ZnO) has excellent photocatalytic and anti-ultraviolet aging properties. Although previous studies have attempted to apply ZnO for wood modification, there is little systematic research on environmentally friendly physical methods to attach nano-ZnO to fast-growing poplar surface and endow it with effective photocatalytic and anti-photoaging properties without altering the wood’s original structure. This study used fast-growing poplar as the substrate, sealed it with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and deposited a nano-ZnO film via magnetron sputtering to prepare micro-nano structured ZnO/PVA/wood. The material was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Results showed retained cellulose diffraction peaks. ZnO characteristic peaks emerged, indicating the formation of well-crystallized ZnO films. The composite exhibited the lowest absorbance of methylene blue solution of 56.4%, lower than the control’s 61.6%. Its minimum total chroma difference was 1.75, a 91.34% reduction compared to natural wood. The magnetron sputtering method was employed to prepare micro-nano structured ZnO/PVA/wood. This process alters the surface microstructure of fast-growing wood. It endows wood with photocatalytic and anti-photoaging properties. This is significant for advanced building materials and wood high-value utilization.