The efficient chitosan-polythiophene-graphene oxide bionanocomposite with enhanced antibacterial activity, dye adsorption ability, mechanical and thermal properties.

Abstract

Water pollution is the most serious environmental issues due to toxic impurity such as dye and pathogenic microorganisms. The main goal of the present study is to produce a novel ternary chitosan-polythiophene-graphene oxide (CS-PTh-GO) bionanocomposites using the intercalation of GO into CS through solution mixing process followed by the in-situ polymerization of thiophene for removal of dye and killing microorganisms from an aqueous solution. The fabricated CS-PTh-GOs were characteristically examined via FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, tensile analysis and subsequently applied for adsorption of cationic dyes such as methylene blue (MB) in the dark or under light and killing the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. The data revealed that presence of PTh-GO enhanced the surface roughness, tensile strength, thermal stability, adsorption characteristics and antibacterial activity. The CS-PTh-GO showed 97% dye removal of MB in 50 min. Ultimately, the CS-PTh-GO bionanocomposites analysis against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli manifesting a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5 µg/mL, respectively. Thus, the CS-PTh-GO bionanocomposite has the potential to use as an efficient adaptable antimicrobial and dye absorbent of organic dyes in industrial wastewater.