Preparation and characterization of nanocomposites based on chitosan with ZnO-Curcumin

The present paper studied the possibility to obtain nanocomposites of chitosan incorporated with ZnO NP, whose surface has been modified with bioactive compounds. To obtain ZnO nanoparticles, the biogenic method was used and the anchoring of curcumin (CRC) on the surface of the particles was followed. Chitosan-based ZnO-CRC were synthesized using ex-situ method that involves the separate preparation of ZnO particles and their dispersion in the chitosan matrix by mechanical and ultrasonic mixing. The structural and morphological studies of the synthesized samples were carried out using X-ray diffraction, SEM microscopy, FTIR and EDX spectroscopy, and the wetting capacity. The XRD analysis revealed wurtzite crystalline structure of ZnO, anchoring of curcumin to the oxide surface, with an average crystallite size about 18.7 nm. The morphological study shows that the particles have spherical formations, with dimensions in the nanometric range and a relatively uniform distribution of ZnO particles in the matrix. Elemental composition of samples was identified using EDX analysis. Contact angle was measured to evaluate the hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic character of the surfaces. The results demonstrate that the synthesized materials have morpho-structural and wetting characteristics that allow the extension of applicability in biotechnological fields as coating systems.