Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using wet chemical method. To the 500 ml of 0.5% soluble starch solution, 0.1 mole of zinc nitrate hexahydrate was dissolved. To the above mixture 500 ml of (0.2 mol) of NaOH was added slowly under stirring condition till the mixture turned into milky white colloid solution. Thereaction was continued for 2-3 h and it was made to settled down. Next day it was centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 15 min and the mixture was washed thrice using distilled water to remove any impurities present in it. Later it was dried and calcined at 500◦C for 2 h.
2.2.3. Fabrication of bionanocomposites film by solution casting method
To the 1% acetic acid solution, 1 g of chitosan was added and stirred constantly till it gets dissolved. To the above solution nanometal oxide (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5%) was dispersed into the solution for 2-3 h and it was sonicated for 15 min at 50◦C. Later Tween 80 and 0.5 ml of neem essential oil were added and stirred to 24 h to get a homogeneous mixture. Finally the solution was cast onto the petri-plates and dried at 50◦C in an oven overnight.
2.3. Fourier-transform infrared spectra analysis [FTIR].
FTIR spectrum was measured using a Perkin-Elmer spectrum RX1 instrument. Spectra were collected in the range of 4000-400 cm-1.
2.4. X-ray diffraction analysis [XRD].
XRD pattern were measured using PAN analytical Expert Pro instrument. The synthesized samples were scanned from 0 to 80◦C at a scanning rate of 3◦/ Min.
2.5. Thermo gravimetric analysis [TGA]
The thermal stability of synthesized film was measured using TG analyser (TGA, TG-2009 and Netzsch). The heating rate was10◦C / min in N2 with the flow rate of 20 ml / min.