Synthesis and Characterization of Mn3O4/BC Nanocomposite and Its Antimicrobial Activity

Manganese oxide/bentonite clay nanocomposite was synthesized by facile thermal decomposition method, which was characterized by various analysis methods such as X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis of X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Selected area electron diffraction patterns were in good agreement with the XRD results. Antimicrobial studies test were investigated via well-diffusion and potato dextrose agar method, antimicrobial activity of the pristine sodium bentonite clay and prepared sample of Mn3O4/BC nanocomposite were reported, against a Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) bacterial and fungal (Candida albicans) pathogens. The results showed that nanocomposite of Mn3O4/BC have enhanced the antimicrobial activity than pristine Na+-BC. [GRAPHICS]