Crystallinity and surface structure analysis of ZnO/Zein Nanocomposites as environmentally friendly materials to support SDG 12

ZnO nanoparticles have high potential for various applications due to their small size. However, ZnO tends to clump, so in this study, it is necessary to modify it with biopolymers Zein to form nanocomposites to overcome this problem. This study aims to analyse the level of crystallinity and surface morphology of ZnO/Zein nanocomposites. The method used is to mix green-synthesised ZnO obtained from pineapple peel extract into a solution of PVA and Zein, and stir for 30 minutes at 80ºC. X-ray diffraction analysis shows a shift in the angle and broadening of the peak in ZnO/Zein compared to pure ZnO, but still shows the wurtzite phase, a hexagonal crystal structure with a crystallite size decreasing from 38.68 nm to 21.78 nm. Morphological observations confirm the even dispersion of ZnO particles in the Zein matrix, which exhibit a spherical and scaly shape and an average grain size of 34.22 nm. Thus, the samples from this study can be used as sustainable materials in the future, supporting SDG 12.