Characterization of ex situ developed bacterial cellulose/ZnO-NPs nanocomposite for antimicrobial evaluation

The prevention of various infections in wounds can be achieved through the advancement of antimicrobial materials. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has the ability to carry and convey the nanoparticles to create a wound-healing bandage due to its extensive surface area and numerous pores within the BC membrane structure. Within the scope of this investigation, BC was produced from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AS.6 under static conditions, and the obtained BC hydrogel was adorned with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) via an ex situ process for enhancing the antimicrobial efficacy of the produced nanocomposite membrane. The structure and properties of the BC/ZnO-NPs nanocomposite membrane were investigated with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and TEM. The findings suggested that the act of immersing the BC hydrogel in the synthesized ZnO-NPs resulted in a uniform and even distribution within the BC matrix. In any circumstance, the BC/ZnO-NPs nanocomposite membrane showed excellent antimicrobial properties against all of the models of microbes used, suggesting potential applications as a bactericidal membrane for promoting wound healing activity.