Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity evaluation of Cu@TiO2 nanocomposites

In this study, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) coated with amorphous titanium dioxide (TiO2) structures are expected to improve the antibacterial activity of Cu@TiO2 NPs. The samples were synthesized using a two-step procedure that comprised of polyol and sol-gel method. The antibacterial activity of CuNPs, TiO2 and Cu@TiO2 NPs was assessed by counting the colony forming units (CFUs) of S. aureus after treatment with visible light radiation (VLR) or darkness (D). Cu@TiO2 inhibited bacterial growth both in VLR and in D, whereas TiO2 in VLR only partially inhibited bacterial growth and did not inhibit bacterial growth in darkness. The synthesis and results of Cu@TiO2 NPs open a promising avenue to the design and development of antimicrobial applications. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Superscript/Subscript Available

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that Cu@TiO2 NPs show better antibacterial activity against S. aureus compared to individual CuNPs and TiO2. Cu@TiO2 NPs can effectively inhibit bacterial growth under both visible light and darkness conditions.