Hybrid Cellulosic Substrates Impregnated with Meta-PBI-Stabilized Carbon Nanotubes/Plant Extract-Synthesized Zinc Oxide—Antibacterial and Photocatalytic Dye Degradation Study

Abstract

Novel fibrous cellulosic substrates impregnated with meta-polybenzimidazole (PBI)-stabilized carbon nanotubes/zinc oxide with different weight content of ZnO and with the use of dimethylacetamide as dispersant media. The pristine ZnO nanoparticle powder was prepared by plant extract-mediated synthesis using Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. The green synthesized ZnO possesses an average crystallite size of 15 nm. The formation of agglomerates from ZnO NPs with size 250 nm–350 nm in the m-PBI@CNTs/ZnO was determined. The prepared materials were investigated by PXRD analysis, XPS, SEM, EDS, AFM, and TEM in order to establish the phase and surface composition, structure, and morphology of the hybrids. The potential of the synthesized hybrid composites to degrade methylene blue (MB) dye as a model contaminant in aqueous solutions under UV illumination was studied. The photocatalytic results show that in the course of the photocatalytic reaction, the m-PBI@CNTs/ZnO 1:3 photocatalyst leads to the highest degree of degradation of the methylene blue dye (67%) in comparison with the other two studied m-PBI@CNTs/ZnO 1:1 and 1:2 composites (48% and 41%). The antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles and the hybrid CNT materials was evaluated by the RMDA and the dynamic contact method, respectively. The profound antibacterial effect of the m-PBI@CNTs/ZnO hybrids was monitored for 120 h of exposition in dark and UV illumination regimes. The photocatalytic property of ZnO nanoparticles significantly shortens the time for bactericidal action of the composites in both regimes. The m-PBI@CNTs/ZnO 1:2 combination achieved complete elimination of 5.105 CFU/mL E. coli cells after 10 min of UV irradiation.