In situ growth of nano-ZnO/GQDs on cellulose paper for dual repelling function against water and bacteria

Abstract To expand the application of cellulose paper for food and drug packaging, in this study, an impregnation method was used to allow Zn2+ to enter the fibers of a cellulose paper substrate. A hydrothermal synthesis method was used to enable the in situ growth of nano-ZnO and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) on the surface of the paper to improve the antibacterial efficiency of the cellulose paper. This functional paper was treated with stearic acid to improve its hydrophobicity. This resulted in the preparation of nano-ZnO/GQDs hydrophobic paper with an antibacterial efficiency of 85.7% and a contact angle of 122.8° with water.