A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity
The combination of cellulosic materials and metal oxide semiconductors can provide composites with superior functional properties compared to cellulose. By using nanocellulose derived from agricultural waste, we propose a one-pot and environmentally friendly approach to the synthesis of nanocellulos...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/16/5789 |
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| author | Roberta G. Toro Abeer M. Adel Tilde de Caro Bruno Brunetti Mona T. Al-Shemy Daniela Caschera |
| author_facet | Roberta G. Toro Abeer M. Adel Tilde de Caro Bruno Brunetti Mona T. Al-Shemy Daniela Caschera |
| author_sort | Roberta G. Toro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The combination of cellulosic materials and metal oxide semiconductors can provide composites with superior functional properties compared to cellulose. By using nanocellulose derived from agricultural waste, we propose a one-pot and environmentally friendly approach to the synthesis of nanocellulose–TiO<sub>2</sub> (NC–TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanocomposites with peculiar photocatalytic activity and antibacterial effects. The as-prepared NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> composites were fully characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), μ-Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results showed that well crystalline anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles of about 5–6 nm were obtained. The photocatalytic activity in particular was evaluated by using methyl orange (MO) solution as a target pollutant at different pH values. It was found that all the tested NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocomposites showed stable photocatalytic activity, even after consecutive photocatalytic runs. In addition, NCT nanocomposites with higher TiO<sub>2</sub> content showed degradation efficiency of almost 99% towards MO after 180 min of UV illumination. Finally, NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocomposites also showed intriguing antimicrobial properties, demonstrating to be effective against Gram-positive (<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>) with 20–25 mm of inhibition zone and Gram-negative bacteria (<i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeuroginosa</i>) with 21–24 mm of inhibition zone, and fungi (<i>Candida albicans</i>) with 9–10 mm of inhibition zone. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:01:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-c1be5a045c1749e899d454bf6c1777a72023-11-30T21:54:11ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442022-08-011516578910.3390/ma15165789A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial ActivityRoberta G. Toro0Abeer M. Adel1Tilde de Caro2Bruno Brunetti3Mona T. Al-Shemy4Daniela Caschera5Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, National Research Council, Via Salaria Km 29,300, Monterotondo Stazione, 00015 Rome, ItalyNational Research Centre, Cellulose and Paper Department, 33El-Bohouth St. (Former El-Tahrir St.), Dokki, Giza P.O. Box 12622, EgyptInstitute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, National Research Council, Via Salaria Km 29,300, Monterotondo Stazione, 00015 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza” Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, National Research Council c/o, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, ItalyNational Research Centre, Cellulose and Paper Department, 33El-Bohouth St. (Former El-Tahrir St.), Dokki, Giza P.O. Box 12622, EgyptInstitute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, National Research Council, Via Salaria Km 29,300, Monterotondo Stazione, 00015 Rome, ItalyThe combination of cellulosic materials and metal oxide semiconductors can provide composites with superior functional properties compared to cellulose. By using nanocellulose derived from agricultural waste, we propose a one-pot and environmentally friendly approach to the synthesis of nanocellulose–TiO<sub>2</sub> (NC–TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanocomposites with peculiar photocatalytic activity and antibacterial effects. The as-prepared NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> composites were fully characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), μ-Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results showed that well crystalline anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles of about 5–6 nm were obtained. The photocatalytic activity in particular was evaluated by using methyl orange (MO) solution as a target pollutant at different pH values. It was found that all the tested NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocomposites showed stable photocatalytic activity, even after consecutive photocatalytic runs. In addition, NCT nanocomposites with higher TiO<sub>2</sub> content showed degradation efficiency of almost 99% towards MO after 180 min of UV illumination. Finally, NC–TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocomposites also showed intriguing antimicrobial properties, demonstrating to be effective against Gram-positive (<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>) with 20–25 mm of inhibition zone and Gram-negative bacteria (<i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeuroginosa</i>) with 21–24 mm of inhibition zone, and fungi (<i>Candida albicans</i>) with 9–10 mm of inhibition zone.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/16/5789nanotechnologytitanium dioxidenanocellulosehybrid nanocompositephotocatalytic activityphotodegradation kinetic |
| spellingShingle | Roberta G. Toro Abeer M. Adel Tilde de Caro Bruno Brunetti Mona T. Al-Shemy Daniela Caschera A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity Materials nanotechnology titanium dioxide nanocellulose hybrid nanocomposite photocatalytic activity photodegradation kinetic |
| title | A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity |
| title_full | A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity |
| title_fullStr | A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity |
| title_short | A Facile One-Pot Approach to the Fabrication of Nanocellulose–Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites with Promising Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity |
| title_sort | facile one pot approach to the fabrication of nanocellulose titanium dioxide nanocomposites with promising photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity |
| topic | nanotechnology titanium dioxide nanocellulose hybrid nanocomposite photocatalytic activity photodegradation kinetic |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/16/5789 |
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