DEVELOPMENT OF CELLULOSE NANOCRYSTALS (CNCS)/SILVER-BASED NANOPARTICLES/BEESWAX COMPOSITE FOR ALCOHOL FREE HAND SANITIZER

• Main Author: Bagus Oka Lyong Budhatama, Ida
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/68696
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Currently, hand sanitizer’s sale is increasing significantly due to Covid-19’s widespread as a global pandemic. Most of the commercialized hand sanitizers are alcohol-based hand sanitizers which occasionally cause irritation and are easily flammable. Therefore, an alternative kind of hand sanitizer is required. Specifically, the kind which is alcohol-free for people allergic to alcohol can use, less toxic, and environmentally friendly. In this research, silver-based nanoparticles are used to substitute alcohol due to its high antibacterial activity, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are used as a dispersing agent, and beeswax is used as a moisturizing agent. The purpose of this research is to create a hand sanitizer which is based off the CNCs/Silver-based nanoparticles/Beeswax composite by varying the methods for synthesis of silver-based nanoparticles and the concentration of the precursor, AgNO3 (4.8, 8.1, and 10.6 mM). The composite was synthesized through two methods, which are AgNO3 reduction using NaOH and glucose as the reductor (Method A) and AgNO3 reduction using ethylene glycol as the reductor (Method C). Based on the visual characteristics, sample C has a better aesthetical value than sample A because sample C’s color is bright, while sample A’s color is dark. As per Tyndall Effect, the particles in sample C are most likely nano-sized. Sample C-2 and C-3 have antibacterial property towards S. aureus with inhibition zone, respectively, equals to 7.32 ± 0.18 and 8.64 ± 0.16 mm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) test’s results show Ag and AgCl can be found in sample C. TEM’s result of sample C-2 shows nanoparticles with the size of 7,6 ± 5,6 nm are dispersed evenly at the CNCs’ surfaces, while TEM’s result of sample C-1 and C-3 shows the occurrence of nanoparticles’ agglomeration. Based on the aesthetic value, antibacterial property, and raw material costs, sample C-2 is considered to be the composite with the highest potential for commercial production development.