Copper nanoparticle in cationized palm oil fibres: physico-chemical investigation

Abstract

At ambient atmospheric condition copper nanopar- ticles (CuNPs) were prepared in aqueous medium using cop- per chloride,sodiumborohydride,ascorbicacidand polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) of two different molecular weights (Mws). The physical appearance of the prepared sol of CuNPs has been found to be stable for a couple of weeks when kept in ambient atmospheric condition, as confirmed by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy exhibits spherical morphology of CuNPs with an average size of 3.5±1.1 nm developed in the sol, where PVA of high Mw renders smaller size (2.5 nm) than that of low Mw .T he synthesised CuNPs were embedded in palm oil fibres (POFs) via cationisation process. The cationisation of POF was ascertained by Fourier-transformed infrared and zero point charge determination. The inclusion of nanoparti- cles (NPs) onto the fibres' surface has been consistently proven by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X- ray diffraction study, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray study and thermo- gravimetric analysis. CuNP-coated POF showed the in- crement of tensile strength (∼34 %) and antifungal ac- tivity (24 %) with respect to control fibres. The ob- served findings suggest that NPs can be effectively used as reinforcing agents in natural fibres to improve their property and durability.