FABRICATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL MATERIALS BASED ON COPPER (II) OXIDE/COPPER AND SILVER OXIDE

Abstract

Nanostructured materials, specifically CuO/Cu and Ag₂O nanoparticles, were successfully fabricated using the anodic dissolution method combined with ultrasonic vibration. The structural morphology, atomic composition, and structure of the materials were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results indicated that the particle size achieved was within the nano scale with a size of about 100 nm. The formation mechanism of CuO/Cu and Ag₂O nanoparticles products is also explained. The antibacterial properties of the materials were investigated separately for CuO/Cu and Ag₂O nanoparticles as well as their mixture. The antibacterial performance of copper oxide/copper nanoparticles was found to be most effective against Sarcina lutea and least effective against Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, the antibacterial performance of silver oxide nanoparticles was highest against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and lowest against Sarcina lutea. The CuO/Cu:Ag₂O mixture at a concentration of 50 µg/ml demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Sarcina lutea and Staphylococcus aureus.