A comparative study on synthesis of AgNPs on cellulose nanofibers by thermal treatment and DMF for antibacterial activities

Herein we present our research on generation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on cellulose nanofibers by thermal treatment and DMF as reducing agents. The cellulose (CE) nanofibers were prepared by deacetylation of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers which were subsequently silver coated using AgNO3 followed by thermal and DMF induced reduction processes. The samples were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and antibacterial assays. Effect of these methods on mechanical properties, thermal stabilities (DTA analysis) and swelling of the CE nanofibers were also studied. Both the processes were effective and efficient in generation of AgNPs on CE nanofibers with higher contents and very good spatial distributions. The XRD, XPS and TEM results evidenced formation metallic AgNPs. TEM images depicted the CE nanofibers highly decorated with spherical AgNPs. The DMF induced process generated AgNPs with comparatively larger sizes. The antibacterial results confirmed excellent antibacterial performance of the CEAgNPs against S. aureus and E. coli. The CEAgNP nanofibers well decorated with AgNPs having good spatial distribution and excellent antibacterial performance suggests CEAgNPs as promising candidate for efficient antimicrobial activities.