Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activities of Ag/CuO nanocomposites

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we loaded Ag with CuO NPs that had previously been synthesized using the chemical reduction technique to develop antimicrobial performance for Ag-CuO nanocomposite materials. The structure analysis, morphology, and chemical properties of Ag, CuO and Ag-CuO NPs were analyzed via Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). XRD patterns proved cubic and monoclinic phases for Ag and CuO, respectively. antibacterial activity of CuO, Ag and Ag/CuO was investigated by agar diffusion method on clinically isolated bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli, the results indicated antibacterial effect of Ag/CuO followed by Ag then by CuO, moreover, effect of these chemicals on Gram negative bacteria (E.coli) was larger than on Gram positive bacteria (S. aureus).