Antimicrobial mechanism of reduced graphene oxide-copper oxide (rGO-CuO) nanocomposite films: The case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

The antimicrobial properties of two-dimensional materials such as graphene-based surfaces are vital for environmental and biomedical applications. Here, the improvement of the antibacterial property of reduced graphene oxide by the preparation of rGO-CuO nanocomposite films was reported. The rGO-CuO nanocomposites were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method, and the nanocomposite films were fabricated by filtering through a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter with the assistance of a vacuum filtration unit. After characterization of the nanocomposite films, the antibacterial properties were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The fabricated rGO-CuO nanocomposite films exhibited excellent antibacterial activity, leading to complete bacterial inactivation upon contact. The antibacterial properties were closely linked to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) independent pathway rather than the ROS-dependent pathway. This work provides an insight into the antibacterial mechanisms of reduced GO and copper oxide composite film for water treatment systems and the potential application of these nanocomposites in biomedicine.