Abstract
This paper reports the structural, optical and antimicrobial study of Ce1−xFexO2−δ (0≤ x ≤20) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The XRD pattern analysed using Rietveld refinement method clearly infers that all the samples exhibit single phase nature and exclude the possibility of an impurity phase. The lattice parameters and unit cell volume were found to decrease with an increase in Fe-doping content in CeO2 nanoparticles. The crystalline size determined using XRD pattern and TEM micrographs was found to decrease with Fe doping in CeO2. Selective area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern also demonstrated the crystalline nature of the Fe-CeO2 nanoparticles. Optical properties studied using UV–vis spectroscopy indicated that band gap decreased with an increase in Fe doping. The electrical properties have been investigated via dielectric constant, dielectric loss and AC conductivity. The dielectric constant was found to increase in the Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles, while AC conductivity was found to be reduced, which shows good dielectric behaviour of the Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized NPs was achieved under ambient conditions with different bacteria, and the results showed that the properties were different for both bacteria. The antimicrobial activity reflects the possibility to develop Fe-doped CeO2 NPs as antibacterial agents against extensive microorganisms to control and prevent the spread and persistence of bacterial infections.
Highlights
Results of the Rietveld refinement clearly infer that Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles exhibit the single-phase nature that rule out the any possibility of a secondary phase
The band gap energy for undoped CeO2 is found to be 2.6 eV, which surprisingly increases for 1% Fe doping (5.3 eV) but decreases for higher concentrations of Fe in CeO2
The structural analysis carried out using XRD and Selective area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns showed the single-phase nature of samples
Summary
This high surface-to-volume ratio increases the chemical reactivity of the particles and enables them to perform as efficient catalysts and antibacterial agents This attribute of nanoparticles has been utilized in the treatment of various infectious microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, etc., which form biofilms on the affected surfaces. The valence state of Ce changes and develops oxidative stress on the cell membrane This mechanism works well in Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli [15,20]. The interaction has certainly been found to be dependent on other factors such as size of the nanoparticles, pH value or the time of treatment, etc It has been observed through various studies that doping of CeO2 with various transition metal ions increases their physical, optical, and photocatalytic properties [23]. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized for structural and antibacterial properties
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