Facile conglomeration of guar gum/TiO2/Fe3O4 composite materials for photocatalytic antimicrobial activities

Abstract

In present communication we report the guar gum based composite materials, prepared by incorporating TiO2 and Fe3O4 by sol-gel method. The composites were synthesized by hydrolysis and dehydroxylation polymerization of a Titanium (IV) butoxide and mixed oxides of iron (Fe3O4) by the sol-gel method within the guar gum matrix using hydrochloric acid as an acid catalyst. The synthesized materials were calcined in an electrical muffle furnace at 200 °C, 400 °C and 600 °C, and characterized by FTIR, XRD and TGA. Thermal properties of the composites were improved as evidenced from the Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) data. A strong photocatalytic antimicrobial activity of about 90% was exhibited by composite material calcined at 600 °C against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, and therefore, the material could be considered as an important raw material for developing an active food packaging.