Synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and its antibacterial application

Abstract

The Present work outlines the antibacterial activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles synthesized through chemical combustion method where ferric nitrate is used as precursor material and urea as fuel with the assistant of Tween 80, a non-ionic surfactant. The obtained Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis/thermo gravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA), particle size analyzer, SEM with EDAX and TEM. Various parameters such as dislocation density, micro strain, analysis of weight loss and surface morphological studies were calculated. The particle size was calculated from XRD and it was found to be 33–40 nm. Using well diffusion method antibacterial activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was tested against gram-positive and gram-negative Staphylococus aureus, Xanthomonas, Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited strong antibacterial activity against bacterial species.