Nanocomposites For Applications Research Articles

Modification of nanocellulose via atom transfer radical polymerization and its reinforcing effect in waterborne UV-curable resin

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are green reinforcing materials, and their potential has been evaluated in the preparation of waterborne UV-curable resin composites with high-performance. Herein, we present a novel and scalable approach for preparing surface-modified CNCs with acrylic-based polymers to strengthen the compatibility and interaction between CNCs and UV-curable resins. Using tert-butyl acrylate as the monomer, the nanocellulose grafted copolymer CNC-g-PtBA was successfully synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in the presence of a macromolecular initiator. Then, the CNC-g-PtBA is blended into the acrylic resin as a nanofiller to prepare the UV-curable nanocomposite. The results indicated that the contact angle of the CNCs increased from 38.7° to approximately 74.8°, and their thermal stability was significantly improved after graft modification. This contributed to the effective alleviation of the agglomeration phenomenon of nanocomposites due to the high hydrophilicity of pure CNCs. Notably, not only was the UV curing efficiency of the nanocomposites greatly increased but the mechanical properties were also further enhanced. Specifically, with the addition of 0.5 wt% CNC-g-PtBA, the curing time of the nanocomposite was shortened from >30 mins down to approximately 6 mins, and the bending strength was increased from 10 MPa for the original resin and 5 MPa for the addition of pure CNCs to 14.3 MPa, and the bending modulus was also greatly increased (up to approximately 730 MPa). Compared to pure CNCs, they are compatible with the resin, exhibiting high mechanical strength and flexibility, and have virtually no effect on the light transmission of the nanocomposites. Additionally, dielectric analysis (DEA) was used to monitor the dielectric constant and conductivity of the UV-curable nanocomposites in real time to further characterize their curing kinetics. The permittivity of these nanocomposites increased by 125 % compared to pristine resin, which shows potential for applications in high dielectric composites or for improving electrical conductivity. This work provides a feasible method for preparing UV-curable nanocomposites with high curing efficiency and permittivity, realizing a wider application of this high-performance nanocomposite.

Synthesis and DFT calculation of microbe-supported Pd nanocomposites with oxidase-like activity for sensitive detection of nitrite

Nanozymes have emerged as the forefront of research in analytical sensing due to their promising applications. In this study, we utilized polyethyleneimine (PEI)-modified Pichia pastoris residue to synthesize microbial-based palladium nanocomposites (Pd/MMR) through simple in-situ reduction methods. The dispersed active sites of Pd nanoparticles with a size of 2.12 ± 0.49 nm that were supported by microbial biomass provided excellent oxidative enzyme-mimicking activity to Pd/MMR. The catalytic mechanism of Pd/MMR involved the combined action of 1O2, ·OH, and ·O2–, and possible reaction pathways and corresponding energy barriers were also revealed using DFT calculations. We also established a quantitative detection platform for nitrite using Pd/MMR. The platform could detect nitrite at concentrations of 10–300 μM with a detection limit of 0.27 μM, and was successfully applied to detect nitrite in real samples. These findings serve as a reference for the synthesis and application of metal nanocomposites using microorganisms.

English

English

Review on Characterization of Biochar Derived from Biomass Pyrolysis via Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Biochar is a carbon-rich solid produced during the thermochemical processes of various biomass feedstocks. As a low-cost and environmentally friendly material, biochar has multiple significant advantages and potentials, and it can replace more expensive synthetic carbon materials for many applications in nanocomposites, energy storage, sensors, and biosensors. Due to biomass feedstock species, reactor types, operating conditions, and the interaction between different factors, the compositions, structure and function, and physicochemical properties of the biochar may vary greatly, traditional trial-and-error experimental approaches are time consuming, expensive, and sometimes impossible. Computer simulations, such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, are an alternative and powerful method for characterizing materials. Biomass pyrolysis is one of the most common processes to produce biochar. Since pyrolysis of decomposing biomass into biochar is based on the bond-order chemical reactions (the breakage and formation of bonds during carbonization reactions), an advanced reactive force field (ReaxFF)-based MD method is especially effective in simulating and/or analyzing the biomass pyrolysis process. This paper reviewed the fundamentals of the ReaxFF method and previous research on the characterization of biochar physicochemical properties and the biomass pyrolysis process via MD simulations based on ReaxFF. ReaxFF implicitly describes chemical bonds without requiring quantum mechanics calculations to disclose the complex reaction mechanisms at the nano/micro scale, thereby gaining insight into the carbonization reactions during the biomass pyrolysis process. The biomass pyrolysis and its carbonization reactions, including the reactivity of the major components of biomass, such as cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose, were discussed. Potential applications of ReaxFF MD were also briefly discussed. MD simulations based on ReaxFF can be an effective method to understand the mechanisms of chemical reactions and to predict and/or improve the structure, functionality, and physicochemical properties of the products.

Robust Strategy to Improve the Compatibility between Incorporated Upconversion Nanoparticles and the Bulk Transparent Polymer Matrix.

Traditional transparent polymer nanocomposites combined with functional fluorescent inorganic nanofillers are promising for many advanced optical applications. However, the aggregation of the incorporated functional nanoparticles results in light scattering and will decrease the transparency of nanocomposites, which will restrain the application of the transparent nanocomposites. Herein, a robust synthesis strategy was proposed to modify upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to form UCNP@PMMA core@shell nanocomposites though metal-free photoinduced surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (photo-SI-ATRP), and thus, the dispersity of UCNP@PMMA and the interface compatibility between the surface of UCNPs and the bulk PMMA matrix was greatly improved. The obtained PMMA nanocomposites possess high transparency and show strong upconversion photoluminescence properties, which promises great opportunities for application in 3D display and related optoelectronic fields. This strategy could also be applied to fabricate other kinds of functional transparent polymer nanocomposites with inorganic nanoparticles uniformly dispersed.

Synthesis and application of barium tin oxide-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite as a highly stable heterogeneous catalyst for the biodiesel production

The potential decline in crude oil reserves and rising awareness of the detrimental environmental impacts of consuming fossil fuels promoted the creation of alternative approaches to transform waste biomass into biofuels. This research provided a simple approach for synthesizing barium tin oxide (BTO) and its decoration over the reduced graphene oxide (RGrO) to manufacture BTO@RGrO as an efficient catalyst in the process of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO). The prepared BTO and BTO@RGrO nanocomposite were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), BET (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller), Temperature Programmed Desorption of NH3/CO2 (NH3/CO2- TPD), and Power X-ray diffraction (XRD). The response surface methodology (RSM) based central composition designs (CCD) was employed to optimize the influence factors, including reaction temperature (40–90 °C), reaction duration (10–50 min), catalyst quantity (1–5 wt%), and methanol to oil (MeOH/Oil) molar ratio (5−25). The optimal performance of biodiesel generated was acquired over BTO@RGrO nanocomposite at the reaction temperature of 68.83 °C, reaction duration of 27.95 min, catalyst quantity of 3.21% by weight, and MeOH/Oil molar ratio of 14.93, which led to biodiesel generation with a 97.03% purity. The finding revealed that the BTO@RGrO nanocomposite could be effectively utilized as a stable heterogeneous solid catalyst under ideal reaction conditions with outstanding catalytic performance.

In Situ Emulsion Polymerization to Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites: A Review

AbstractPolymer nanocomposites are a class of composite materials containing polymer continuous phase as matrix and inorganic nanoparticles as fillers. Combining the advantages of both polymer and nanofillers, polymer nanocomposites can yield some desirable functionalities that cannot be achieved by the individual components, thus exhibiting tremendous potential for a variety of applications. However, their performances markedly depend on the dispersion and distribution of nanofillers in the polymer matrix. Recently, in situ emulsion polymerization has been demonstrated to be a powerful approach for the preparation of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites with good dispersion and homogeneous distribution of nanofillers. In this review, the fundamentals of polymer nanocomposites and their preparation strategies are briefly discussed, and then are comprehensively summarized recent advances in the design, preparation, functionalization, and applications of polymer nanocomposites via in situ emulsion polymerization. The particular focus is placed on the strategies for achieving homogeneous and good dispersion of nanofillers within polymer matrixes. Moreover, the current challenges and future opportunities of in situ emulsion polymerization to polymer nanocomposites are discussed to motivate future contributions and explore new possibilities.

A brief review on polymer nanocomposites: current trends and prospects

Abstract Nanoparticles (NPs) are being incorporated into pristine polymeric matrices as well as recycled waste polymers to prepare new materials with enhanced properties called polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). There has been an accelerating growth in the field of polymer nanocomposites in the last two decades owing to their tunable and enhanced optical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties, which make them viable and well-suited for various applications. The addition of nanoparticles in the form of nanosheets, nanotubes, nanospheres, quantum dots, etc., to the polymer matrices reduces the drawbacks of polymers like low mechanical strength, weaker chemical resistivity, etc. due to the large surface area to volume ratio of NPs. Moreover, the interaction of nanoparticles with the polymer chain lowers the permeability of gases and increases the water resistance of the polymer. Due to their remarkable capabilities, polymer nanocomposites have attracted significant theoretical interest as well as a large number of practical applications in a variety of scientific and technological domains. This article provides an overview of the various classes of nanoparticles and different fabrication methods used to produce polymer nanocomposites. Additionally, an effort is made to comprehend the properties and applications of polymer nanocomposites in different areas like wastewater treatment, dye removal, heavy metal and gas sensing, optoelectronics, etc.

Application of Magnetic Nanocomposites in Water Treatment: Core–Shell Fe3O4 Material for Efficient Adsorption of Cr(VI)

Since ferric tetroxide (Fe3O4) has strong magnetic properties, coating amorphous silica (SiO2) with Fe3O4 nanoparticles can protect the magnetic Fe3O4 particles and form a new magnetic adsorbent with a core–shell structure and small pore size, the strong magnetic properties of which can efficiently solve the problem of the difficult separation and recovery of heavy metals from wastewater affecting present-day adsorption techniques. In this paper, SiO2-coated nanoscale Fe3O4 particles were prepared using a modified sol–gel method for the adsorption and removal of Cr(VI) at lower pollution concentrations. The adsorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a magnetic vibration sample magnetometer (VSM), and its adsorption performance was systematically investigated in terms of initial concentration, pH, and temperature. The experiments showed that the adsorption effect was optimal when the initial solution Cr(VI) was 40 mg/L. The adsorption capacity increased with a decrease in the initial solution’s pH and decreased with an increase in temperature. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) at low concentrations was much higher than that of other conventional adsorbents, the calculated unit adsorption capacity reached 13.609 mg·g−1, and the removal rate reached 64.8%. In addition, the strong magnetic nanocomposite (MS) had excellent recoverability, could achieve desorption via alkaline washing, and retained about 75% of the initial adsorption capacity after six cycles.

Nanocomposites for Aircraft Applications

The steady increase in jet fuel prices in recent years has accelerated the quest for greater economy in airline operations. While improvements in aerodynamic efficiency, engine fuel efficiency, etc., have been sought, lighter and stronger materials for aircraft structural components remain a very important goal. The percentage of advanced composites, utilizing carbon fibers, in modern aircraft has reached 50 percent. The trend now is to use nano reinforcements such as graphene and carbon nanotubes to further reduce the structural weight. Due to the difficulties in fabricating nanocomposites with a high enough volume fraction of nano reinforcement, the nano reinforcements are either added to the polymer matrix or grown on the carbon fibers. The nano reinforcements are multi-functional; thus, in addition to contributing strength, they contribute to other properties such as electrical conductivity which in turn enhances the lightning strike protection, electrostatic discharge, electromagnetic shielding, etc. This paper summarizes these aspects and also describes the applications of nanocomposites in aircraft interiors, brake components, aircraft repair, etc.

Soft conductive nanocomposites for recording biosignals on skin

Soft conductive nanocomposites have introduced significant breakthroughs in bio-integrated electronics by mitigating the mechanical mismatch between the body and the device. Compared with conventional wearable sensors based on rigid electronic materials, the wearable sensors based on soft nanocomposites are advantageous to long-term and high-quality biosignal recordings. Materials used for the synthesis of the nanocomposites, especially nanofillers, are critical for determining the quality of recorded biosignals and the performance of the nanocomposites. In this review, we focus on recent advances in soft conductive nanocomposites, mainly on their electrical and mechanical properties according to the types of nanofillers, and present their applications to wearable biosignal recording devices. We have classified the nanofillers into four categories: carbon-based nanomaterials, conducting polymers, metal-based nanomaterials, and liquid metals. We then introduce the applications of nanocomposites as wearable sensors that record various biosignals, including electrophysiological, strain, pressure, and biochemical information. In conclusion, a brief outlook on the remaining challenges for future nanomaterial-based bioelectronics is provided.

Nanocomposites for Space Applications

The drive to lower the cost of space launches has resulted in the use of polymer matrix composites with micro reinforcements such as carbon fibers. Further attempts to decrease the weight of spacecraft and to improve the performance have led to the addition of nano reinforcements to these composites. In this paper, the application of nanocomposites in spacecraft structures is reviewed. First, several nano reinforcements, such as graphene, fullerene, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanoclays and Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS), are briefly reviewed. Then the stringent requirements of the space environment, in relation to material properties, are reviewed. The space environment poses several challenges such as ultraviolet radiation, temperature extremes, thermal cycling, charged particle radiation, impacts from micrometeoroids and orbital debris, and low earth orbital atomic oxygen. Next, the testing of candidate materials in actual space environment and at ground based testing facilities is reviewed. This is followed by specific applications of nanocomposites in space structures.

Nanocomposite Materials Used in Heat and Sound Insulation

–The use of composite materials, which are widely used in many areas of industry, in heat and sound insulation is increasing rapidly. In this study, primarily composite and nanocomposite material definitions were made. In addition, composite and nanocomposite application examples and different solution examples in heat and sound insulation are mentioned. The advantages and disadvantages of nanocomposite structures are presented in the study.

Synthesis of lignin nanoparticles from Oxytenanthera abyssinica by nanoprecipitation method followed by ultrasonication for the nanocomposite application

Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) have a wide range of potential uses in the biomedical and environmental fields. They are used to prepare antioxidants, food packaging material, energy storage, cosmetics, thermal/light stabilizers, reinforced materials, and drug delivery. In this study, LNPs were prepared from soda lignin obtained from Oxytenanthera abyssinica using dioxane, acetone, ethanol, and acid-base solvents through the nanoprecipitation method, followed by an ultrasonic process. These methods produced four different LNPs with yields in the range of 28.5% to 88.9%. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the spherical-shaped LNPS (100–400 nm) were obtained using the acetone solvent, while irregularly shaped LNPs were formed by dioxane (150–400 nm), ethanol (40–200 nm) and acid-base (100–800 nm) solvents. The maximum zeta potential of the LNPAS samples was |-35.1 mV|, determined by the dynamic light scattering (DLS), with a particle size distribution between 91.28 and 458.7 nm. According to the energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) results, the sample contains the elements C, O, Si, Na, and Mo. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis showed very small crystallinity sizes ranging from 0.31 to 0.35 nm. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-NMR) and Fourier transformation infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to find the functional groups in the synthesized LNPs. The Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) peak showed that LNPS was thermally stable, and rapid mass loss occurred between 300 and 415 °C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) data shows that the highest exothermic peaks are obtained at 345.2 °C. Synthesis of LNPs by dissolving isolated soda lignin in acetone, ethanol, dioxane, and acid-base solvents was quickly recovered, cheap, and eco-friendly. The synthesized are free of sulfur; they do not use toxic solvents such as Tetrahydrofuran (THF), Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and Dimethylformamide (DMF). Thus, they provide benefits for high-value-added Nanocomposite applications such as bio-based nonmaterial and food packaging materials. Acid-base nanoprecipitation procedure is the best approach regarding stability and size, but the acetone nanoprecipitation method is preferable regarding shape.

Application of Green Polymeric Nanocomposites for Enhanced Oil Recovery by Spontaneous Imbibition from Carbonate Reservoirs.

This study experimentally investigates the effect of green polymeric nanoparticles on the interfacial tension (IFT) and wettability of carbonate reservoirs to effectively change the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) parameters. This experimental study compares the performance of xanthan/magnetite/SiO2 nanocomposites (NC) and several green materials, i.e., eucalyptus plant nanocomposites (ENC) and walnut shell ones (WNC) on the oil recovery with performing series of spontaneous imbibition tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and BET (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller) surface analysis tests are also applied to monitor the morphology and crystalline structure of NC, ENC, and WNC. Then, the IFT and contact angle (CA) were measured in the presence of these materials under various reservoir conditions and solvent salinities. It was found that both ENC and WNC nanocomposites decreased CA and IFT, but ENC performed better than WNC under different salinities, namely, seawater (SW), double diluted salted (2 SW), ten times diluted seawater (10 SW), formation water (FW), and distilled water (DIW), which were applied at 70 °C, 2000 psi, and 0.05 wt.% nanocomposites concentration. Based on better results, ENC nanofluid at salinity concentrations of 10 SW and 2 SW ENC were selected for the EOR of carbonate rocks under reservoir conditions. The contact angles of ENC nanocomposites at the salinities of 2 SW and 10 SW were 49 and 43.4°, respectively. Zeta potential values were -44.39 and -46.58 for 2 SW and 10 SW ENC nanofluids, which is evidence of the high stability of ENC nanocomposites. The imbibition results at 70 °C and 2000 psi with 0.05 wt.% ENC at 10 SW and 2 SW led to incremental oil recoveries of 64.13% and 60.12%, respectively, compared to NC, which was 46.16%.

Multidimensional applications and potential health implications of nanocomposites.

This study reviews the concept, classifications, and techniques involved in the synthesis of nanocomposites. The environmental and health implications of nanoparticles and composite materials were detailed, as well as the applications of nanocomposites in water remediation, antibacterial application, and printed circuit boards. The study gave insights into the challenges of water pollution treatment and provided a broad list of nanocomposites that have been explored for water remediation. Moreover, the emergence of multi-drug resistance to many antibiotics has made current antibiotics inadequate in the treatment of disease. This has engineered the development of alternative strategies in the drug industries for the production of effective therapeutic agents, comprising nanocomposites with antibacterial agents. The new therapeutic agents known as nanoantibiotics are more efficient and have paved the way to handle the challenges of antibiotic resistance. In printed circuit boards, nanocomposites have shown promising applications because of their distinct mechanical, thermal, and electrical characteristics. The uniqueness of the write-up is that it provides a broad explanation of the concept, synthesis, application, toxicity, and harmful effects of nanocomposites. Thus, it will provide all-inclusive awareness to readers to identify research gaps and motivate researchers to synthesize novel nanocomposites for use in various fields.

Stability Investigation of the PCM Nanocomposites

Abstract Ensuring the stability is a key issue to be solved for the technical application of nanocomposites. In this work, fatty acid P1801 served as base phase change material (PCM)P1801, and its main ingredients are palmitic acid (58%) and stearic acid (38%). Titania (TiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) with mass concentrations of 1% and 5% were selected as nanoparticles, while polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or oleic acid (OA) with mass concentrations of 5% were tested as surfactants. On the basis of the measured temperature distributions in the sample, which is subject to melting and solidification processes, it was determined which of the tested nanocomposites are stable and which are not. In addition, a thermal test was proposed to assess the stability of the produced nanoPCM, which consists in measuring the temperature distribution versus time according to a precisely given procedure.

Two-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Amphiphile Combats Bacterial Biofilms.

Drug combination provides an efficient pathway to combat drug resistance in bacteria and bacterial biofilms. However, the facile methodology to construct the drug combinations and their applications in nanocomposites is still lacking. Here we report the two-tailed antimicrobial amphiphiles (T2 A2 ) composed of nitric oxide (NO)-donor (diethylenetriamine NONOate, DN) and various natural aldehydes. T2 A2 self-assemble into nanoparticles due to their amphiphilic nature, with remarkably low critical aggregation concentration. The representative cinnamaldehyde (Cin)-derived T2 A2 (Cin-T2 A2 ) assemblies demonstrate excellent bactericidal efficacy, notably higher than free Cin and free DN. Cin-T2 A2 assemblies kill multidrug-resistant staphylococci and eradicate their biofilms via multiple mechanisms, as proved by mechanism studies, molecular dynamics simulations, proteomics, and metabolomics. Furthermore, Cin-T2 A2 assemblies rapidly eradicate bacteria and alleviate inflammation in the subsequent murine infection models. Together, our Cin-T2 A2 assemblies may provide an efficient, non-antibiotic alternative in combating the ever-increasing threat of drug-resistant bacteria and their biofilms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Biochar-based nanocomposites for industrial wastewater treatment via adsorption and photocatalytic degradation and the parameters affecting these processes

AbstractThe preparation of biochar (BC) as a useful substance generated from biomass valorization via pyrolysis has attracted much attention in recent years. Moreover, widespread worries about water pollution and the issues brought on by producing and releasing massive volumes of industrial effluents have sparked research initiatives to examine practical and affordable solutions to these problems. Dyes, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical compounds are the main hazardous pollutants in industrial wastewater. As a result, biochar (BC)/biochar (BC)-based nanocomposites have been presented as a potential alternative to handle wastewater pollution with both adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes. Such nanocomposite materials benefit from the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis to attain improved removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. Therefore, this review aims to describe different preparation methods for biochar and biochar-based nanocomposites. Furthermore, the differences between the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes are discussed. BC-based nanocomposites have emerged as promising adsorbents and photocatalysts for wastewater treatment applications. To maximize the efficiency of these processes, an overview of the parameters affecting pollutants removal from wastewater via adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes is reviewed, where biochar dose, initial pollutant concentration, pH, temperature, time, the presence of different anions, and recycling are discovered to have a significant impact on their performance. Finally, future recommendations and research directions are provided to help shape the applications of BC-based nanocomposites for wastewater treatment applications. This review offers a comprehensive evaluation of the use of biochar as a new environmental material capable of removing pollutants from wastewater. Graphical Abstract

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

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.