Dispersed Zinc Oxide Research Articles

Multifunctional zinc oxide loaded stearic acid surfaces on biodegradable magnesium WE43 alloy with hydrophobic, self-cleaning and biocompatible attributes

Biodegradable Mg alloys are one of the most promising materials for implant applications, for which the widespread use is hampered by rapid degradation in physiological environment. The present study explores the development of a novel zinc-oxide (ZnO) loaded stearic acid (SA) coating on medical grade WE43 alloy using a facile, and environment-friendly technique for promising biomaterial surface applications. Morphology and chemical analyses reveal the development of a layered coating surface with uniformly dispersed ZnO nanoparticles in SA matrix. The developed coating exhibits hydrophobic performance (contact angle of 135°) along with the retainment of hydrophobicity under varying chemical (acidic pH of 1 and basic pH of 13) and mechanical (post scratch testing and peel-off studies) conditions. The observed surface water repellency facilitates self-cleaning performance pointing towards its efficacy against potential biofilm formation. The developed coating demonstrates superior resistance against surface degradation during immersion studies in phosphate buffer saline solution (pH = 7.4) and better cell viability with MG-63 (human osteosarcoma) cell line. The approach presented here sets a platform for the development of efficient coatings on biodegradable WE43 alloys surfaces for potential biomaterial technologies.

Layered double hydroxide (LDH)-derived zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod on exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet for photocatalytic dye degradation and hexavalent chromium reduction

A new low-temperature facile chemical decomposition of layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been developed for the large-scale controlled synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod on exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet. ZnAl-LDH/GO composite precursor was prepared via in situ growth of the LDH on the exfoliated GO nanosheets. Thermo-chemical decomposition of ZnAl-LDH/GO composite at 80 °C produced highly dispersed ZnO nanorods on GO nanosheets. Although, neat ZnAl-LDH produces ZnO nanoparticle aggregates in the absence of GO. The morphology and properties of ZnO nanorods/GO nanocomposite was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The band gap engineering of the nanocomposite was evaluated by varying GO content. The ZnO/GO nanocomposites materials exhibited excellent photo-catalytic activity towards the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and Cr(VI) reduction under the irradiation of direct sunlight at ambient condition. GO plays a crucial role in the directional growth of nanorods and enhances the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods via the synergistic hole formation and electron transfer effect for the potential remediation of waste water.

Spiral-template from waste tea-leaf to design hierarchical dispersed zinc oxide nanocatalyst for boosting their photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction

The utilization of cellulose-based templates to enhance the dispersion of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles represents an effective approach for enhancing their photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction activity. However, the limited availability of surface active sites on linear cellulose fiber has posed a significant challenge for loading ZnO nanoparticles. The present study introduces a technique for segregating spiral vessel (SV) from waste tea-leaves and employing them as templates for in-situ self-assembled ZnO nanoparticles. Due to the inherent three-dimensional (3D) stability of the spiral structure, ZnO nanoparticles exhibit excellent dispersion and maintain a stable hierarchical spiral morphology even after template removal. With the help of a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), it could be observed that SV-loaded ZnO nanospheres extracted from waste Pu 'er tea-leaves retained the best spiral morphology after removing the template. The photocatalytic CO2 conversion over spheroidal ZnO with SV as templates (ZnOSS) significantly enhanced yields of CO and CH4, reaching 6.700 and 1.666 μmol·g−1h−1, respectively, surpassing those of other synthesized catalysts. The results obtained from the free radical scavenging experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) test demonstrate the pivotal involvement of superoxide radicals (∙O2−) and hydroxyl radicals (∙OH) in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. Quantum mechanical simulation further verified that the ZnO (0 0 2) crystal face was the best reaction interface with CO2. The design of a cellulose-based spiral template not only facilitates the valorization of waste biomass but also offers a novel perspective for the synthesis of efficient photocatalysts.

Controlling surface morphology of Ag-doped ZnO as a buffer layer by dispersion engineering in planar perovskite solar cells

In recent years, the power conversion efficiency (PCE (%)) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has improved to over 26%. To enhance the photovoltaic properties of PSCs, several materials for the electron transport layer (ETL) have been investigated. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a significant ETL due to its high electron mobility and optical transparency in PSCs. As a result of various deposition methods, ZnO ETL can be processed at low temperatures. On the other hand, based on several studies, metal-doped ZnO can facilitate electron transfer, thereby improving the performance of un-doped ZnO ETL-based PSCs. Here, to improve the PCE (%) and long-term stability of un-doped ZnO ETL-PSCs, silver (Ag)-doped ZnO 1wt% as a buffer layer is examined. In this paper, with the addition of an organic solvent (ethanol) to the dispersion of Ag-doped ZnO 1 wt% nanoparticles (NPs) in deionized (DI) water, the morphology of the buffer layer (Ag-doped ZnO 1 wt%) can be controlled. This approach focuses on reducing the wettability of the ZnO/Ag-doped ZnO 1 wt% bilayer ETLs and enhancing the stability of un-doped ZnO ETL-PSCs. According to the results, the ZnO/H2O-ethanol mixtures-Ag-doped ZnO 1 wt% bilayer ETL leads to the formation of high-quality perovskite with low defects, reducing the recombination rate, and long-term stability of un-doped ZnO ETL-PSCs in ambient conditions.

Effect of Hot Pressing on the Optical, Thermal, and Dielectric Properties of Solution Cast Prepared Nanocomposite Films Based on a Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-co-Hexafluoropropylene) and Poly(Ethylene Oxide) Blend Matrix with Dispersed Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

In our research described herein, the hot pressing treatment at 90 °C under 2 tons of pressure on solution cast polymer nanocomposite (PNC) films based on a host matrix of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with varying polymer blend compositions (20, 50, and 80 wt% P(VDF-HFP) or PEO) and 2 wt% zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofiller, was performed; the effects of this treatment and the composition variations on the optical, thermal, and dielectric properties was explored. The ultraviolet-visible wavelength range study revealed slightly reduced absorbance and a little increased energy band gap after the hot pressing of the nanocomposite films. Differential scanning calorimetry of the solution cast-hot pressed (SC-HP) PNC films explained the reduced thermal stability of the poly(ethylene oxide) crystallites and also the degree of crystallinity. The broadband dielectric measurements of these materials, at 27 °C, confirmed significant changes in various dielectric polarization processes, demonstrating a large redistribution of constituent interfaces by the hot press treatment. Additionally, the 90 °C hot pressed PNC film of equal polymer compositional ratio was further hot pressed at 130 °C and 160 °C, step by step, and characterized to examine the variations in dielectric properties. The properties of these thermally treated composite films are discussed concerning their use for flexible device applications.

(Digital Presentation) Synthesis and Characterization of Dispersed Zinc Oxide

Zinc oxide has the subject of numerous studies in recent years. Nearly half of the world's annual production of zinc oxide is used as an activator to speed up vulcanization in the rubber industry. It is also widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It is most widely used in the chemical industry not only as a starting material, but also as a catalyst and chemisorbent. Recently, zinc oxide has been very often studied as an efficient photocatalyst in advanced oxidation processes. The cheapness and availability of zinc oxide makes it possible to use it also as a white pigment. White pigments make up more than 60% of all modern dyes. They are used for the manufacture of paints and varnishes not only white, but also other colors, as well as in the production of plastics, paper, building materials, ceramics, etc.Obtaining nanodispersed ZnO opens up additional possibilities for controlling its chemical and physical properties. Today, to obtain nanostructured ZnO, chemical deposition, synthesis in colloidal solutions, hydrothermal synthesis, laser vapor deposition, electrochemical deposition, thermal methods, electrochemical deposition, etc. are used. Promising technologies that make it possible to obtain disperse products are physicochemical methods, including those using contact nonequilibrium plasma (CNP).To form nanodispersed ZnO nanoparticles, we used CNP. This method is economically attractive due to the simplicity of the synthesis process (the temperature varies from room temperature to 50°C, the low cost of equipment and consumables) and the possibility of influencing the structural and morphological characteristics of NPs.Theoretical (Pourbaix diagrams) and experimental studies (cyclic voltammograms, potentiometry, kinetic dependences, X-ray phase analysis, derivatography, electron microscopy, spectroscopy) were carried out, which made it possible to establish the possibility of obtaining zinc oxide using CNP and investigate its properties.The results of X-ray diffraction analysis show that under these conditions, a precipitate of ZnO is formed. It was found that with an increase in rarefaction in the plasma-chemical reactor and a decrease in the interelectrode distance, an increase in the degree of conversion of zinc cations into insoluble compounds is observed. To increase the degree of conversion, the effect of organic compounds on the degree of conversion was also investigated. The addition of ethanol in the ratio 50-100 mmol/mol increases the product yield to 99.8% even in dilute solutions. Studies of color characteristics showed that the resulting precipitate has a CRC of 95%, a color purity value of 6%, and a color tone corresponding to a wavelength of 584 nm. The band gap was 3.1 eV.

Study of Bi-functional Applications of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized via Sonochemical Route

The sonochemical synthesis involved the dispersion of zinc oxide (ZnO) precursor in a suitable solvent, followed by ultrasonic irradiation to induce chemical reactions and nucleation of ZnO nanoparticles. The resulting nanomaterials exhibited a uniform particle size distribution, which is crucial for their photocatalytic efficiency. ZnO nanoparticles with a uniform particle size of 25 nm were successfully synthesized using a sonochemical route and were employed for the degradation of direct green and fast orange dyes under UV light irradiation. The band gap of the ZnO nanoparticles was determined to be 3.35 eV, indicating its potential as a photocatalyst for dye degradation. The degradation efficiency of the dyes was evaluated by monitoring the change in their concentration over time. The ZnO nanoparticles demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activity, efficiently degrading both dyes within a relatively short duration. The electrochemical studies further confirmed the potential applicability of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles in various electrochemical systems. The ZnO electrode that was produced could detect lead in an acidic solution. The ZnO electrode is a promising electrode material for making sensor applications because of its higher electrochemical behaviour. Overall, this research contributes to the development of efficient and environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater treatment and lead sensor.

Structural design of a hyperbranched chitosan-based bioplastic with excellent strength, antibacterial, and UV shielding performance

Renewable biomaterials have received increasing attention as ideal alternatives to non-biodegradable plastics, but the poor water resistance, antibacterial property, and bonding strength usually limit their development. Inspired by the mussel chemistry, a sustainable and facile strategy is reported for preparing a high-performance chitosan (CS)-based film by incorporating a water-soluble hyperbranched polyamide (HB) and inorganic–organic system. Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) serves as a biological template for the preparation of uniformly dispersed zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs). As a dynamic glue linkage, protocatechualdehyde (PA) containing catechol groups provides additional bridging between the ZnO QDs and the organic CS biopolymer, thus guiding the ZnO QDs to disperse more evenly in the CS matrix and promoting the multiple cross-linking interactions in the hybrid film. The toughness and strength of the composites are simultaneously increased by 276.7% and 150.9%, respectively. Owing to the optimization of hyperbranched structure, catechol chemistry, and inorganic–organic system, the resultant film also exhibits substantially improved water resistance, thermal stability, and UV shielding capability. Additionally, the functional ZnO QDs, catechol PA, and cationic CS synergistically endow the film with superior antibacterial properties. This novel and biomimetic strategy opens up new ideas for the design of multifunctional bioplastics, while driving the development of CS biomaterials in the areas of antibacterial adhesives, high-strength hydrogels, and UV resistant coatings.

Enhancement of Intrinsic Temperature Reduction for Plasma Surface-Modified Nanoparticle-Doped Low-Density Polyethylene Films

The cooling performance of nanoparticle (NP)-doped radiative cooling materials depends on the dispersion of the NPs in the polymer matrix. However, it is a technical challenge to suppress agglomeration of NPs due to their high surface energy, resulting in poor dispersion of the NPs in the polymer matrix. In order to optimize the dispersion of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs in low-density polyethylene (LDPE), NPs were treated with atmospheric pressure plasmas for 30, 60 and 90 s. The ZnO NPs were dispersed in LDPE using a xylene solution method. The dispersion of the NPs was progressively improved as the plasma-treatment time increased, likely due to the roughened and perhaps also activated NP surfaces by the plasma treatment. This made the transmittances of the films decrease in the solar-radiation band and absorptivity increased monotonically in the high-energy band as the plasma-treatment time increased, while in the mid-infrared band, the films maintained a similar high transmittance to the untreated sample. The differential scanning colorimetry analysis revealed that the crystallinities of the plasma-treated NP-doped samples were similar to those of the untreated sample. The cooling-performance tests showed that the maximum temperature reductions of the films with NP plasma-treated for 0 s, 30 s, 60 s and 90 s were 6.82, 7.90, 9.34 and 10.34 °C, respectively, corresponded to the intrinsic temperature reductions of 7.27, 8.23, 10.54, and 11.40 °C, respectively, when calculated using Cui’s Model. The results of the current study show that a simple one-step atmospheric pressure plasma treatment to the ZnO NPs can indeed improve dispersion of the NPs in LDPE and lead to the greatly improved passive-cooling performance of the film.

Influence of zinc oxide particles dispersion on the functional and antimicrobial properties of cementitious composites

One of the most important aspects of shaping the antibacterial properties of nano-mixed cementitious composites is the proper dispersion of nanoparticles (NPs) to ensure their sustainable application. Therefore, in the presented article special attention was paid to the method of mixing zinc oxide NPs with the cement matrix. A two-stage modification of the cement matrix was used; in the first stage, zinc oxide NPs were introduced directly in dry form into the cement binder or mixed mechanically, with ultrasound and combined mechanically and with ultrasound. Then, in the second stage, a superplasticizer was added to the mixing methods mentioned above. It was shown that the combined use of premixing and then mixing with superplasticizer influences better dispersion of zinc oxide in the cement matrix, which in turn translates into higher mechanical parameters, better microstructure compaction and resistance to microorganisms. The most homogeneous mixture was obtained with combined mechanical and ultrasonic mixing. On the other hand, better antimicrobial properties were exhibited by composites obtained only by mechanical mixing.

Methyl cellulose-based solid polymer electrolytes with dispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles: A promising candidate for battery applications

Novel solid polymer electrolytes based on methyl cellulose (MC) and magnesium chloride (MgCl₂⋅6H₂O) have been prepared by a solution casting technique. The best conducting polymer electrolyte system has been doped with different amounts of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles to assess their effect on its properties. Structural studies by FTIR and XRD analysis have revealed complete complexation between the polymer host and the dopant. A polymer electrolyte system with 25 wt% of the salt exhibited the highest room temperature ion conductivity of 1.18 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻1 with excellent thermal and dielectric properties. The dispersal of ZnO nanoparticles therein served to enhance the conductivity. SEM micrographs reveal complete dispersion of the nanofiller on the electrolyte surface. A primary battery has been fabricated, and its open-circuit potential and discharge characteristics have been studied. Overall, the prepared electrolytes have excellent properties and may thus be promising candidates for energy storage devices.

Studies of Electro-Optic and Thermal Behaviour of Azo Dye Doped Vertically Aligned Liquid Crystal

The performance of liquid crystal (LC) display devices significantly depends on the usage of an optimized concentration of dopant. Thus, in the present study, vertically aligned liquid crystals (VALCs) display cells were prepared using dispersion of zinc oxide (ZnO) nano particles into host nematic liquid crystal (NLC) without any surface treatment. Further, the sample mixture was doped with fixed concentration of 0.5% of azo dye. Both the sample cells were analyzed and compared for morphological, electro-optical (E-O) and thermal behaviour. Results show the improvement in voltage-transmittance characteristics with lowering of threshold and operating voltage, however the contrast ratio (CR) for dye doped sample cell was found to be degraded. This degradation may be possibly due to much lower transition temperature at this concentration of dye, which further might because of higher OFF state and lesser ON state transmittance due to disturbance in intrinsic LC order. As, the thermal study showed the doping of 0.5% of azo dye reduced the transition temperature to 410 for dye doped VALC from 680 of VALC sample. Hence, these results indicate that a control amount of dichroic dye is a crucial measure for an adequate performance of VALC display.

Extremely Well-Dispersed Zinc Oxide Nanofluids with Excellent Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Formaldehyde and Toluene Removal Properties

Herein, a polymer dispersant is used to modify zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with the assistance of a self-made dispersion device to produce nanofluids with excellent dispersion. The ZnO nanoparticles can be well dispersed in an aqueous solution in a high proportion (20 wt %). The average size of ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in nanofluids is 86.5 nm. After testing and analysis, the ZnO nanofluids have excellent antibacterial, antifungal, and formaldehyde and toluene removal performance. The antibacterial rate of 4% ZnO (w/v) can reach 99.99%. It has been verified in pure milk that ZnO can well inhibit fungi and deterioration. These satisfactory characteristics of the nanofluids are all attributed to the excellent dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, the dispersed ZnO nanoparticles are used to modify polymer materials (polypropylene random and low-density polyethylene), endowing them with excellent antibacterial and mechanical properties. Therefore, they are expected to be used in food packaging materials in the future.

Биоцидные нанокомпозиционные материалы на основе оксида цинка

The aim of this work is the synthesis of composite materials based on highly dispersed zinc oxide and the study of the effect of synthesis conditions on their composition and structure. Finely dispersed zinc oxide was prepared by a thermal decomposition of products of ZnCl2 and (NH4)2CO3 interaction. ZnO nanocomposite materials modified by silver were synthesized by chemical and photochemical reduction of silver salts in a zinc oxide matrix. It is shown that, in the case of chemical reduction, Ag/ZnO nanocomposites with an average silver particle size of 22 nm are obtained. When using the photochemical method of reduction of silver ions, the effect of the ratio of components on the morphology of the samples was noted: at a ratio of ZnO:AgNO3:NaCl - 1:0.5:0.5, the formation of Ag/AgCl/ZnO nanocomposites is observed, with an increase in the silver salt content, the formation of silver nanoparticles is not observed, and AgCl/ZnO nanocomposites are formed. The high bactericidal activity of Ag/ZnО was shown.

Low Concentrations of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Cause Severe Cytotoxicity Through Increased Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species.

With wide application of Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, their biological toxicity has received more and more attention in recent years. In this research, two ZnO dispersions with different particle sizes, small size Zinc oxide (S-ZnO) and big size Zinc oxide (B-ZnO), were prepared using polycarboxylic acid as dispersant. We found that the S-ZnO nanoparticles showed stronger toxicity on Human Pulmonary Alveolar Epithelial Cells (HPAEpiC) under same concentration. Only 9 ppm S-ZnO could decrease HPAEpiC viability to about 50%, which means that, a small amount of well-dispersed ZnO nanoparticles in industrial production process may cause serious damage to the human body through oral inhalation. Focusing on mechanism for cytotoxicity, ZnO nanoparticles promoted generation and accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in mitochondria via inhibiting Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and reducing Glutathione (GSH) content. ROS in turn opened the mitochondrial Ca2+ pathway and lowered the Mitochondrial Membrane Potentials (MMP), leading to cell death. To simulate the lung environment in vitro, mixed dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and ZnO nanoparticles (1:1) were incubated for 72 hours and then cytotoxicity was evaluated on HPAEpiC. Results showed that the cell viability was significantly increased, which proved that the DPPC effectively inhibited the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles.

ZnO-Impregnated Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Filters against Various Phases of Air Pollutants.

The incorporation of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in fiber filters is an effective approach to enhance the specific surface area and surface roughness of the fiber, hence improving their efficiency for fine dust capture and other gas treatment or biological applications. Nevertheless, uneven distribution of NPs limits their practical applications. In this study, a commercial silane coupling agent (3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) was used to improve the dispersion of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs in thin polyacrylonitrile fibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the fibers incorporating the silane-modified NPs exhibited better distribution of NPs than those prepared with pristine ZnO NPs. The silane modification enhanced the specific surface area, surface roughness, and fiber porosity. In particular, the nanofiber filter incorporating 12 wt% ZnO NPs modified with 0.5 g silane per g of ZnO NPs maintained a filtration efficiency of 99.76% with a low pressure drop of 44 Pa, excellent antibacterial activity, and could decompose organic methylene blue dye with an efficiency of 85.11% under visible light.

Combustion Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Zinc Oxide

Combustion Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Zinc Oxide

Green Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Supported on Silica Gel Matrix by Daphne oleoides Extract and their Antibacterial Activity.

Background: ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are one of the most popular metal oxide nanoparticles, which exhibit significant antibacterial properties against various pathogens. Among nanoparticle synthesis methods, the green synthesis using plant extract is considered as an eco-friendly and cost-effective method for ZnO-NPs production, compared to the chemical procedures.Background: This study aimed to evaluate the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs loaded on silica gel matrix (ZnO/SG nanocomposite) by using methanol leaf extract of Daphne oleoides as a new extract and a cost-effective method. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of the synthesized structure is evaluated against some pathogenic bacteria and the results are compared with unsupported ZnO-NPs.Materials and Methods: For ZnO/SG nanocomposite synthesis, a solution of Zn (NO3)2 was stirred with silica gel. Then the Daphne oleoides extract was added and stirred continuously until white precipitate was formed. The precipitate was heated at 200 ˚C for calcination, and ZnO/SG nanocomposite was obtained. The phytochemical constituents of leaf extract were then analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Afterwards, the structure of ZnO-NPs on SiO2 matrix (ZnO/SG nanocomposite) was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Surface area measurement was also determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of ZnO/SG nanocomposites against pathogenic bacteria was evaluated using agar-based disk diffusion method standardized by clinical and laboratory guidelines. Results: The leaf extract of Daphne oleoides encompassed five major polyphenolic components. The results of the nanocomposite structure showed that ZnO-NPs with an average particle size of 38 nm were obtained and stabilized on the silica gel matrix. The BET surface area measurement of ZnO/SG nanocomposite was compared with unsupported ZnO-NPs, and the results indicated that the surface area of ZnO/SG nanocomposite was increased. Furthermore, the structure showed more powerful antibacterial activity against pathogens than unsupported ZnO-NPs. Conclusions: Green synthesis of ZnO-NPs supported on the silica gel matrix with the leaf extract of Daphne oleoides is a benign and effective procedure for ZnO/SG nanocomposite synthesis. Embedding ZnO-NPs in silica gel matrix prevents the agglomeration of nanoparticles and prepare homodispersed nanoparticles. This structure revealed great antibacterial activity against many pathogens.

Study of Wound-Healing Ointment Composition based on Highly Dispersed Zinc Oxide Modified with Nanoscale Silver

A complex modern study of the ratio effect of components of an ointment composition based on highly dispersed Zinc oxide modified with nanoscale silver on its physical and chemical properties is performed. It was found that at a concentration of glycerol equal to C = 10%, and at a concentration of methylcellulose C = 3%, the value of the active acidity of the ointment composition is optimal (pH = 6.5-7). Studies of the structural and mechanical properties of the ointment composition have shown t

Synthesis and characterisation of zinc oxide nanoparticles and its antimicrobial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Micrococcus</i>

A detailed analysis of synthesis and characterisation of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) with a motive of demonstrating the effect of ZnO on its antibacterial effect is reported herein. A rapid synthesis method of highly dispersed ZnO nanoparticles by using zinc acetate dihydrate and ammonium carbonate as a precursor and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a capping agent is presented in this study. The results of characterisation techniques like ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, zeta potential and particle size analyser confirmed ZnO NPs of better quality and of uniform sized. Further, the ZnO NPs revealed promising inhibitory activity against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus.