A novel BMSN (biologically synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles) material: synthesis using a bacteria-mediated biosurfactant and characterization

Abstract

Mesoporous materials (MMs) have recently been applied as advanced nanomaterials in different fields (separation, catalysis, adsorption <i>etc.</i>). Synthesis of MMs by chemical surfactants is not ecofriendly. This study focused on the biological synthesis of a MM by sol-gel method, using a <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> BBK006-mediated surfactant (template) and a precursor (TEOS). The biologically synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (BMSN) were formed at calcination temperatures of 450-600 °C. The BMSN comprise Si and O elements with specific weights of 56.09% and 42.13% respectively, where the atomic% was detected to be 41.79% and 55.10%, respectively. The phase identity of the synthesized particles (61-300 nm uniform spherical shape; surface area: 8.2616 m² g^-1; pore diameter at 550 °C: 14.8516 nm) was confirmed with wide-angle XRD (10°-81°). A typical type IV isotherm was exhibited (BET curves) following IUPAC nomenclature and confirmed the mesoporous nature. The green-synthesized biosurfactant-mediated BMSN is an environmentally promising material to apply in biomedical science (<i>e.g.</i>, antimicrobial activity, drug delivery, CMC, anticancer activity) and oil spill management.