Formation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Aqueous Solutions of Carboxymethylcellulose and Their Physico-Chemical Properties

Conditions for the synthesis of polymer–metal complexes incorporating zinc oxide nanoparticles differing in the size and shape, via chemical methods from solutions of purified sodium carboxymethylcellulose (degree of substitution 0.97 and degree of polymerization 850) and zinc nitrate crystal hydrate at temperature 80°C, have been determined. Physico-chemical properties of the samples of sodium carboxymethylcellulose containing stabilized zinc oxide nanoparticles differing in the size and shape have been investigated by means of FT-IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. It has been found that an increase in initial concentration of Zn(NO3)2 in the solutions of sodium carboxymethylcellulose subject to chemical reduction leads to the formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles differing in the size and shape. Solutions of sodium carboxymethylcellulose containing zinc oxide nanoparticles can be widely used in medical practice as biomaterials with antibacterial properties.