Synthesis, characterization, and comparison of antibacterial effects and elucidating the mechanism of ZnO, CuO and CuZnO nanoparticles supported on mesoporous silica SBA-3

Abstract

were 85.87% and 100%, respectively. SBA/CuO and SBA/CuZnO with {111} lattice planes exhibited better antibacterial effects compared to the commercial-grade nano-zinc oxide and nano-copper oxide. When exposed to ultraviolet light, SBA/CuZnO displayed the highest photocatalytic activity and optimal antimicrobial effect. Therefore, SBA/CuZnO can be an alternative to antibiotics because of its non-toxic nature and good antibacterial properties.