Hydrothermal doping of Ag and ZnO nanoparticles in Sterculia cellulose mat for antimicrobial and photocatalytic applications

Lignocellulose biomass is being used as starting material for wide range of applications. In this study, lignocellulose biomass obtained from Sterculia villosa (Roxb.), a traditionally important fibrous plant, was processed chemo-mechanically to get cellulose sheet. The sheet was then doped with Ag and ZnO nanoparticles following single-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the mat showed uniform distribution of the nanoparticles. The characteristic features of Ag and ZnO nanoparticles were observed in UV–Vis, XRD, and SEM–EDX data. These features were also found in the sonicated sample suggesting stable doping of the nanoparticles in the mat. Antimicrobial activity of the mat was tested for two bacterial (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) strains and a fungal (Candida albicans) strain, and showed good antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The mat also showed excellent photocatalytic property tested for degradation of methylene blue under UV irradiation. These findings suggested that multifunctional nanocomposite mat can be fabricated using Sterculia villosa lignocellulose biomass which can be potentially used for antimicrobial packaging and water purification applications.