Antibacterial Activity of Aerogels of Reduced Graphene Oxide Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles

Abstract

Samples of reduced graphene oxide aerogels decorated with silver nanoparticles (from 1 to 15 wt %) have been obtained. The reduction of silver ions was performed in the course of the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and self-assembly of the aerogel with the use of glucose as a green reducing agent. It has been found that all composite graphene aerogel samples GO–Ag have antibacterial properties. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the gram-negative bacteria E. coli and the gram-positive bacteria M. luteus were determined. It was found that the samples GO–Ag10 and GO–Ag15 for E. coli and the samples GO–Ag15 for M. luteus can exhibit both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. It was shown that all samples other than GO–Ag15 at MICs effectively inhibited the formation of biofilms of M. luteus bacteria. At the same time, the sample GO–Ag15 at a minimum bactericidal concentration, which is higher than the MIC by a factor of 9.5, effectively destroyed already formed biofilms of M. luteus bacteria.