Extraction of nanocellulose and in-situ casting of ZnO/cellulose nanocomposite with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity

Journal article

Authors/Editors

Muiva, Cosmas

Research Areas

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Publication Details

Author list: Lefatshe K, Muiva CM, Kebaabetswe LP

Publisher: Elsevier

Place: OXFORD

Publication year: 2017

Journal: Carbohydrate Polymers (0144-8617)

Journal acronym: CARBOHYD POLYM

Volume number: 164

Start page: 301

End page: 308

Number of pages: 8

ISSN: 0144-8617

eISSN: 1879-1344

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

Polymer hosted metallic nanostructures with diverse applications have become a prominent area of materials science, engineering and technology. In this study nanocellulose (NC) was synthesized from oil palm empty fruit bunches biomass via alkaline treatment and acid hydrolysis and characterized. The obtained NC was used as a host polymer for the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures through in situ solution casting method. Alkaline treatment and acid hydrolysis increased the percentage crystalline index from 35.7% to 43.3% and 53.3% respectively. X-ray diffraction studies pointed to cellulose I, with a monoclinic structure. Zinc oxide/cellulose nanocomposite displayed more photocatalytic activity than pure ZnO nanostructures upon degradation of methylene blue, and also improved antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coll. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Antibacterial activity, Cellulose, Photocatalytic efficiency, ZnO/cellulose nanocomposite, ZnO nanostructures

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