GO/Ag2O Composite Nanostructure as an Effective Antibacterial Agent

Abstract

AbstractSilver oxide nano‐particles (Ag2O NPs) are prepared by wet chemical method and impregnated with graphene oxide (GO) nano‐sheets in different wt. % ratios. The Ag2O NPs showed peaks in with the face centered cubic crystalline structure as indicated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The characteristic peaks of GO are also appeared in XRD patterns of GO/Ag2O composites. SEM image of pure GO nano‐sheets represented thin flexible layered structure. In GO/Ag2O hybrid structure, the Ag2O nanoparticles are randomly anchored on the surface of GO nano‐sheets. FT‐IR spectra of GO/Ag2O composite illustrate the reduction in intensity of peaks as compared to pure Ag2O. Some oxygen functional groups are also reduced in the composites samples. The antibacterial activity of hetero systems was observed in case of E.coli and Staph aureus by disc diffusion method. In antibacterial activity, pure Ag2O and GO exhibited small zones of inhibition in comparison to 2.0 and 4.0% GO/Ag2O nano composite materials towards E. coli and S. aureus. The results indicated that GO/Ag2O nanocomposites can markedly inhibit E. coli reproduction as compared to S. aureus. In antibacterial mechanism, positively charged Ag ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced more in GO/Ag2O nanocomposites than singly Ag2O and GO nanomaterials which cause the disrupting interaction with bacterial cell wall through membrane proteins. The effectiveness of Ag2O NPs is enhanced by incorporating GO nano‐sheets.