Structural and optical characteristics of poly(vinyl alcohol)/carboxymethyl cellulose/ curcumin nanocomposites

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Curcumin nanoparticles (CurNP’s) were successfully synthesized, characterized, and used as a cross-linking dopant of polyvinyl alcohol/ sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (PVA/CMC) semi-natural polymer blend. Synthesized nanocomposite films of (PVA/CMC/CurNP’s) were characterized using Fourier transforms infrared FTIR spectroscopy and tested for their resistance of different bacterial grams. Obtained data shows that studied PVA polymerized and cross-linked with CMC as a result for hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic groups and with the non-substituted hydroxyl groups of the cellulose molecule. The optical energy gap was found to be sensitive for the CurNP’s doping level, and the indirect transition was dominant in the studied samples. The addition of CurNP’s appears to increase the activity index of all samples against both gram-negative and positive bacteria, and their activity increases with increasing dopant level until a specific optimal concentration.

KEY WORDS: Curcumin nanoparticles, Semi-natural polymer blend, Antibacterial, FTIR, Optical energy gap

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2021, 35(3), 615-624.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v35i3.12