Fabrication of hybrid thin film based on bacterial cellulose nanocrystals and metal nanoparticles with hydrogen sulfide gas sensor ability

Abstract

The nanocrystalline structures of bacterial cellulose (BC) are described as "environmentally friendly green nanomaterials". Bacterial cellulose (BC) was produced from Gluconacetobacter xylinus in pellicle form with a large bundle of fibers were acid hydrolyzed to obtain bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs). The H₂SO₄ acid-hydrolyzed BCNCs were evaluated for their smallest crystallite size and hydrodynamic size, highly negative ζ-potential value, and the highest specific surface area to interact with metallic nanoparticles. Hybrid thin film of BCNCs based surface-loaded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and alginate-molybdenum trioxide nanoparticles (MoO₃NPs) was developed for hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas sensor. Sensor characteristics were investigated as well as its response with H₂S gas. The film was successfully detected H₂S gas. The color of the film changed by the shift of oxidation number of MoO₃NPs. Once activated by AgNPs, MoO₃NPs was readily reduced to a colored sub-oxide by atomic hydrogen that produced and received from reaction of H₂S gas.

Keywords: Acid hydrolysis; Bacterial cellulose nanocrystals; Hybrid material film; Hydrogen sulfide gas sensor; Molybdenum trioxide nanoparticles; Silver nanoparticles.