Enhanced thermal and structural properties of bacterial cellulose with MgAl2O4 nanoparticles integration

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose (BC), a biogenic nanomaterial with a three-dimensional reticulated architecture, serves as a dynamic platform for next-generation composites. This study presents an advanced BC-based hybrid material integrated with magnesium-doped aluminum oxide (MgAl₂O₄) nanoparticles, synthesized through a co-precipitation method. Rigorous characterization via TEM-EDS, SEM, XPS, DSC, and XRD elucidates the morphological, elemental, and structural properties of the nanoparticles. Thermal behavior and phase transitions were explored using DSC for both the NPs and the BC-based hybrid material (BC–MgAl₂O₄). In-depth surface and structural analyses of the BC–MgAl₂O₄ composite was performed using contact angle measurements, XRD, and SEM-EDS. The results demonstrate that the integration of MgAl₂O₄ enhances material strength, thermal resistance, and hydrophobicity, driven by synergistic nano-bio interactions. These findings establish a foundation for customized multifunctional composite materials with potential applications in biomedical scaffolding, environmental remediation, and nanosensing.