Cellulose-silver nanocomposites: Microwave-assisted synthesis, characterization, their thermal stability, and antimicrobial property

► A facile microwave-assisted method was developed to fabricate cellulose-silver nanocomposites by reducing silver nitrate in ethylene glycol (EG). ► The microwave-assisted method is rapid, green and environmentally friendly, which opens a new window to the high value-added applications of cellulose. ► The cellulose-silver nanocomposites possess a high antimicrobial activity against the model microbes Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive).