Enhanced structural, optical, electrical properties and antibacterial activity of selenium nanoparticles loaded PVA/CMC blend for electrochemical batteries and food packaging applications

Nanocomposite electrolyte samples, which composed of PVA/CMC blend with selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs), were prepared by a solution cast method. The structure of the samples was analyzed using XRD and FTIR, which confirmed the interactions between PVA/CMC blend and Se NPs. Also, the decreases in the value of optical energy gaps confirm the dispersed selenium nanoparticles into PVA/CMC samples. DSC curve of pure sample showed single glass transition (Tg) temperature peak at 102.17 °C which indicates that the blend components were miscible. SEM micrographs show white granules on the surface of the filled samples, which were assigned to Se NPs. The maximum electrical conductivity was found with PVA/CMC/0.80 wt % Se NPs is 2.24 × 10−6 S/cm at room temperature with 20 MHz. The antibacterial activity index showed an increase in the diameters zone with increasing the selenium nanoparticles concentration. The results confirm that adding of selenium nanoparticles to PVA/CMC blend caused to increase the antibacterial activity of samples that suggests the potential of this nanocomposite to be used in many antimicrobial applications and has the possibility for usage in food packaging industries.