In order to reduce the use of non-renewable resources and to minimize the environmental pollution caused by synthetic materials, the quest for utilizing biomaterials is on a rise. "iopolymers in nature are produced by a range of microorganisms and plants. "iopolymers produced by microorganisms require specific nutrients and controlled environmental conditions. This chapter discusses the recent developments and trends of biopolymers especially in the field of nanotechnology. " basic introduction regarding biopolymers is included at the beginning of the chapter. " detailed discussion on various characterization techniques used for characterizing biopolymers and various frequently used biopolymers is also included. "pplications of biopolymers in various fields, especially in the field related to nanoscience and nanotechnology, is elaborated at the end of the chapter. "iopolymers together with nanotechnology have already found many applications in various fields including water treatment, biomedical application, energy sector, and food industry. This chapter is intended to give an overview on the importance of biopolymers in nanotechnology-based applications.
We herein report a simple large scale green synthesis route for the synthesis of silver nanoparticle (Ag-NP) multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) hybrid nanocomposite (Ag-MWCNTs). The as-synthesized hybrid nanocomposite were characterized using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Raman spectroscopy analysis showed an increase in the D/G ratio of Ag-MWCNTs hybrid nanocomposites when compare with that of functionalized MWCNTs (F-MWCNTs) attributed to the presence of Ag-NPs on the surface of the F-MWCNTs. The as-synthesized Ag-MWCNTs nanocomposites showed strong antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli compared to the Ag-NPs and MWCNTs. The catalytic potential of the Ag-MWCNTs hybrid nanocomposite was investigated for the first time by studying the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride at 299 K at various reaction times. The reaction follows first order kinetics with a rate constant of 5.18×10−1 s−1. It is believed that, the large scale synthesis of such hybrid nanocomposites via simple method using non-toxic reagent will not only enhance its antibacterial efficacy, durability and biocompatibility, it will also minimize its biotoxcity and environmental impacts.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.