Structures, mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of Ag/TiO2 nanocomposite materials synthesized via HVPG technique for coating application

Abstract

In this study, the structures and mechanical properties of the silver-titanium dioxide nanocomposite material were investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). These properties include surface roughness, hardness, and reduced Young's modulus. The nanocomposite material was successfully synthesized using the Horizontal Vapor Phase Growth (HVPG) technique which yielded shapes such as nanoparticles, nanospheres, nanorods, triangular nanocomposites, and nanocrystals. Characterization of nanocomposite materials was done through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy to elucidate material shape, diameter, and composition. The pour plate technique combined with McFarland standards was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the nanocomposite material against Staphylococcus aureus. The nanocomposite material was able to eradicate bacteria and was suitable for coating applications effectively.