Abstract
Hybrid nanobiocomposite films are prepared using a solution casting by incorporating TEMPO cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into an aqueous solution of pullulan (PULL). The presence of CNT is confirmed by XRD characterization, and the prepared film shows an increased degree of crystallinity after the addition of TOCNs and CNT. The maximum degree of crystallinity value is obtained for CNT 0.5 % (59.64%). According to the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the shifts of the characteristic -OH peak of PULL occurred after the addition of TOCNs and aqueous CNT (3306.39 to 3246.90 cm−1), confirming interaction between the TOCNs, CNTs, and PULL matrix. The prepared films show enhanced material properties including higher tensile strength (65.41 MPa at low CNT content (0.5%)), water barrier properties, and reduced moisture susceptibility (5 wt.% CNT shows the lowest value (11.28%)) compared with the neat PULL film. Additionally, the prepared films are almost biodegradable within 64 days and show excellent electrical conductivity (0.001 to 0.015 S/mm for 0.5–5% CNT), which suggests a new approach to transform natural polymers into novel advanced materials for use in the fields of biosensing and electronics.
Highlights
Pullulan (PULL) is a well-known microbial exopolysaccharide, which is generated aerobically by specific strains of Aureobasidium pullulans, a polymorphic yeast [1]
Nanocelluloses are divided into three main categories: cellulose nanocrystals or cellulose nanowhiskers, microfibrillated celluloses (MFCs), and cellulose nanofibrils
PULL was taken according to the solution weight; TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were measured depending on the PULL weight
Summary
Pullulan (PULL) is a well-known microbial exopolysaccharide, which is generated aerobically by specific strains of Aureobasidium pullulans, a polymorphic yeast [1]. Various levels of toxicity of CNT, depending on several factors, including preparation method, aspect ratio, shape, and surface to volume ratio, among others, have been reported [32,33] Owing to their unique physicochemical characteristics, the biocompatibility of CNT can be increased via functionalization with different biomolecules, and no severe toxicity or adverse effect for functionalized CNTs were observed, making them leading candidates for several applications in the biomedical field such as tissue engineering applications, gene therapy, drug delivery, and biosensors [34,35]. The stable dispersed CNTs by pullulan may have biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery, which widen the application area of CNTs. owing to the bioactivity of biopolymers, the prepared nanobiocomposite may have effective sensing performance [48] and applicability for electronic packaging [49] and electric equipment [40], among others. The novelty of this study lies in the transformation of a natural polymer into new advanced materials applicable in various fields such as biomedicine, biosensing, and electronics
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