Utilization of Pineapple Peel Waste/ZnO Nanoparticles Reinforcement for Cellulose-Based Nanocomposite Membrane and Its Characteristics

Abstract

Abstract Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural substance produced by microorganisms and offers numerous benefits. It can be produced by utilizing biomass waste which is abundantly available through the fermentation process. This study investigates the utilization of pineapple peel waste for bacterial cellulose synthesis and observes their properties as nanocomposites membrane after the addition of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The experimental methods were conducted by synthesizing BC using pineapple peel extract using fermentation process. Subsequently, BNC was synthesized using a high-pressure homogenizer, and ZnO-NPs nanoparticles were added as reinforcement at concentrations of 2.5 wt.%, 5.0 wt.%, and 7.5wt.%. The mixture was sonicated and subsequently dried in an oven at 60°C for 20 h. BNC/ZnO-NPs membranes were characterized using XRD, FTIR, tensile test, BET, antibacterial test, and SEM analysis. The results indicate that the membrane structure of BNC/ZnO-NPs nanocomposite has peaks at diffraction angles of 14.4°, 15.2°, 16.9°, 22.8°, 31.6°, 34.1°, and 36.8°. The addition of ZnO-NPs affects the crystallite size and pore diameter of the membrane. It enhances the crystalline index of BNC by 81.37% at 2.5wt.% ZnO-NPs but reduces the membrane strength. The surface morphology of nanocomposite shows agglomeration with increasing ZnO-NPs content. Membrane BNC/ZnO-NPs show antibacterial activity against S.aureus.