Antibacterial properties of the flower shaped nano-CuFe2O4@MoS2 composites

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria cause diseases that pose a considerable threat to global public health. Addressing this issue requires novel and effective antimicrobial agents. In this paper, CuFe2O4 was synthesized using FeCl3·6H2O and CuCl2·2H2O via solvothermal methods. Then, CuFe2O4@MoS2 composites were produced, using CuFe2O4 as the core, via a one-pot method. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to systematically characterize the composites and to investigate the antibacterial properties of CuFe2O4@MoS2 against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and the white fungi Candida albicans and its inhibitory mechanism. Studies on bacterial inhibitory activity demonstrated that at a concentration of 200 μg/mL for 40 min, CuFe2O4@MoS2 inhibited 99.9%, 99.9%, and 99.4% of the three test bacteria. When compared with CuFe2O4 alone, the inhibitory efficacy of CuFe2O4@MoS2 composites increased significantly against the three test bacteria. The bacterial inhibition mechanism of the composite material entails the release of copper ions and oxidative stress, and CuFe2O4@MoS2 can destroy the bacterial cell wall, leading to the death of bacteria. Moreover, CuFe2O4@MoS2 can disrupt the bacterial cell wall, resulting in bacterial death. Furthermore, the material displays high biocompatibility. Therefore, the outstanding bacteriostatic characteristics of CuFe2O4@MoS2 could be used in various fields, including medicine.