Preparation of Zinc Oxide-Nanoclay Hybrids by Alkaline Ion Exchange Method

N Garshasbi,A Nouri,S Lotfiman,M Ghorbanpour

doi:10.1590/0104-6632.20170344s20150570

Abstract

Abstract ZnO/nanoclay hybrids are synthesized by a single-step solid-state reaction using ZnCl2 as a reagent. These hybrids were prepared by a simple alkaline ion exchange method, without using any surfactant or chelating agents. By adjusting the reagent’s immersion time in molten salt, production of pure ZnO/nanoclay hybrids was achieved. Synthesized hybrids were characterized by UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, XRD, XRF and SEM. SEM confirmed increased nanoclay porosity. The XRD pattern of the ZnO/nanoclay indicated small changes in the intensity and position of the interlayer spacing of montmorillonite. Antibacterial activity of the hybrids against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were assessed using disc diffusion. The results show that the antibacterial efficiency of the hybrid is not influenced by the time or the temperature of ion exchange, but is affected by bacterial type.

Highlights

Zinc oxide nanoparticles possess several interesting properties, such as optical transparency, electric conductivity, piezoelectricity, nontoxicity, wide availability, low cost and stability
It has been demonstrated that ZnO nanostructures exhibit antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (Applerot et al 2009; Gordon et al, 2011; Pouraboulghasem et al, 2016 b; Yamamoto, 2001) and Escherichia coli (Brayner et al, 2005; Franklin et al, 2007; Gilani et al, 2016)
The antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles may be related to the induction of oxidative stress due to the generation of reactive oxygen species, which may cause the degradation of the bacterial membrane structure (Sawai et al, 1998)

Summary

Introduction

Zinc oxide nanoparticles possess several interesting properties, such as optical transparency, electric conductivity, piezoelectricity, nontoxicity, wide availability, low cost and stability. It has been demonstrated that ZnO nanostructures exhibit antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (Applerot et al 2009; Gordon et al, 2011; Pouraboulghasem et al, 2016 b; Yamamoto, 2001) and Escherichia coli (Brayner et al, 2005; Franklin et al, 2007; Gilani et al, 2016). They are currently used in many cosmetics and food packaging applications.

Methods

Results

Conclusion