Antibacterial studies and characterization of newly synthesized ZnO/ZnS/CuS ternary nanocomposite

Abstract

A nanomaterial is a substance that is nano scale-sized (1–100 nm). This substance is highly valuable for commercial uses and has special features. The development of new antibiotic medications to regulate and stop the spread of bacterial strains appears to be a viable application for transition metal base nano composites. In the creation of new pharmaceuticals, the ternary nano composite may play an important role in the production of diverse antibacterial drugs. The X-ray diffractometer, Fourier Transform infrared spectrophotometer, and UV–visible spectrophotometer were used to characterize the ZnO/ZnS/CuS ternary nano composite, which was effectively manufactured utilizing the cation exchange process. In light of this, the major peak on the X-ray diffractometer patterns of the ZnO/ZnS/CuS ternary nano composite's crystallite size was determined. The presence of Zn-O symmetric stretching vibrations at 442 cm−1 and 809 cm−1 in the Fourier Transform Infrared spectrum, caused by weak ZnO vibration, and another peak at 687 cm−1 caused by Zn-S symmetric bending vibration, which demonstrated the development of ZnO/ZnS nano composite material. The production of the ZnO/ZnS/CuS ternary nano composite was demonstrated by the additional peaks at 1107 cm−1 and 618 cm−1 attributed to C-O stretching and CuO, respectively. The band gap energy of the ternary nanocomposites ZnO/ZnS/CuS was determined using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. Finally, using the paper disc diffusion technique, the antibacterial properties of the produced nanomaterial were investigated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria are more resistant to the ZnO/ZnS/CuS ternary nano composite's antibacterial effects than Gram-negative bacteria.