Green Synthesis and Characterization of Natural Magnetic Particles/Chitosan Composite Material Impregnated with Copper Nanoparticles

Natural magnetic particles/chitosan/CuNPs (NMP/Chi/CuNPs) have been successfully synthesized in green chemistry by impregnation of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on the composite of natural magnetic particles/chitosan (NMP/Chi). Copper nanoparticles were prepared using Cu(II) solutions with varying concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mM). The synthesis of CuNPs was carried out by chemical reduction with ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and chitosan as a capping agent using microwave heating. The formation of copper nanoparticles was indicated with a peak at 580-590 nm, and the optimum absorbance was obtained at a precursor concentration of 20 mM using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The NMP/Chi/CuNP(20) composite material was characterized using Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR) to confirm the interaction between NMP/Chi and CuNP(20). Crystal analysis by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) showed the highest characteristic peak of Fe3O4 at 2θ angle 35° where the peak intensity at NMP/Chi/CuNP(20) decreased compared to NMP and NMP/chi. The mean crystallite sizes of NMP and NMP/Chi were obtained at 8.33 nm and 64.95 nm, respectively. Morphology and elemental composition of composite materials with Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) showed that CuNP 20 was successfully impregnated in NMP/Chi and contained the main elements, namely C, N, O, Fe, and Cu. Using TEM analysis, the shape of the NMP/Chi/CuNP(20) particles is similar to that of CuNP(20), which is spherical, and the particle size was 32.95 nm. The material is potential as an easily separable antibacterial agent in water using an external magnet.