A Zinc Oxide Microparticle (ZnOMP) Characterization Test Using Sumbawa Oil (Minyak sumbawa) Base Material

Abstract

Sumbawa oil (Minyak sumbawa) has long been used for therapeutic and biomedical purposes. However, its potential use as a capping agent in the synthesis of zinc oxide microparticles (ZnOMPs) has not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the properties of ZnOMPs synthesized using Minyak Sumbawa as a capping agent. ZnOMPs were synthesized and characterized in both capped and uncapped forms. The crystallinity of the samples was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while particle morphology was examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to identify functional groups and assess the interactions between Minyak Sumbawa and ZnOMPs. Our findings demonstrated that ZnOMPs capped with Minyak Sumbawa resulted in smaller particle sizes, more uniform distribution, and better stability compared to uncapped ZnOMPs. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of carbonyl (C=O) and hydroxyl (O–H) functional groups, which indicates interactions between the bioactive components of Minyak Sumbawa and the ZnOMP surface. XRD analysis confirmed that the capped ZnOMPs maintained a pure wurtzite crystal structure with no detectable impurities. In conclusion, the use of Minyak Sumbawa as a natural capping agent effectively reduced ZnOMP particle size to approximately 0.3 μm, improved uniformity, and preserved crystal purity while facilitating beneficial bioactive interactions.