Sustainable Cellulose Nanocrystals for Improved Antimicrobial Properties of Thin Film Composite Membranes

In this study, we were able to impart antimicrobial properties onto the surface of a commercial thin-film composite (TFC) membrane using sustainably derived cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) extracted from elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) leaves. Carboxylic acid-containing CNC were chemically bound...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ACS sustainable chemistry & engineering 2021-05, Vol.9 (19), p.6534-6540
Main Authors: Jackson, Jennifer C, Camargos, Camilla H. M, Noronha, Victor T, Paula, Amauri J, Rezende, Camila A, Faria, Andreia F
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:In this study, we were able to impart antimicrobial properties onto the surface of a commercial thin-film composite (TFC) membrane using sustainably derived cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) extracted from elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) leaves. Carboxylic acid-containing CNC were chemically bound to the amine-terminated polyamide active layer of TFC membranes using a cross-linking reaction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were conducted to confirm the presence of CNC on the membrane surface. TFC membranes functionalized with needle-like and antimicrobial CNC nanoparticles showed robust toxicity to bacteria, inactivating ∼89% of attached Escherichia coli cells under contact. These findings establish that functionalization with CNC is a promising approach for mitigating biofouling on TFC membranes and substantiates the application of sustainable materials for the design of the next-generation membranes for water purification.
ISSN:2168-0485
2168-0485
DOI:10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c02389