Negative Oxygen Ions Production by Superamphiphobic and Antibacterial TiO2/Cu2O Composite Film Anchored on Wooden Substrates

According to statistics, early in the 20th century, the proportion of positive and negative air ions on the earth is 1 : 1.2. However, after more than one century, the equilibrium state of the proportion had an obvious change, which the proportion of positive and negative air ions became 1.2 : 1, leading to a surrounding of positive air ions in human living environment. Therefore, it is urgent to adopt effective methods to improve the proportion of negative oxygen ions, which are known as “air vitamin”. In this study, negative oxygen ions production by the TiO2/Cu2O-treated wood under UV irradiation was first reported. Anatase TiO2 particles with Cu2O particles were doped on wooden substrates through a two-step method and further modification is employed to create remarkable superamphiphobic surface. The effect of Cu2O particles dopant on the negative oxygen ions production of the TiO2-treated wood was investigated. The results showed that the production of negative oxygen ions was drastically improved by doping with Cu2O particles under UV irradiation. The wood modified with TiO2/Cu2O composite film after hydrophobization is imparted with superamphiphobicity, antibacterial actions against Escherichia coli, and negative oxygen ions production under UV irradiation.