Antimicrobial Activity and Sorption Behavior of Al₂O₃/Ag Nanocomposites Produced with the Water Oxidation of Bimetallic Al/Ag Nanoparticles

Abstract

The water oxidation of bimetallic Al/Ag nanoparticles has been shown to yield nanoscale structures whose morphology, phase composition and textural characteristics are determined by the synthesis conditions. Flower-like nanoscale structures with silver nanoparticles, with an average size of 17 nm, are formed in water at 60 °C. Under hydrothermal conditions at temperatures of 200 °C and a pressure of 16 MPa, boehmite nanoplatelets with silver nanoparticles, with an average size of 22 nm, are formed. The oxidation of Al/Ag nanoparticles using humid air at 60 °C and 80% relative humidity results in the formation of rod-shaped bayerite nanoparticles and Ag nanoparticles with an average size of 19 nm. The thermal treatment of nanoscale structures obtained at a temperature of 500 °C has been shown to lead to a phase transition into γ-Al2O3, while maintaining the original morphology, and to a decrease in the average size of the silver nanoparticles to 12 nm and their migration to the surface of nanoscale structures. The migration of silver to the nanoparticle surface influences the formation of a double electric layer of particles, and leads to a shift in the pH of the zero-charge point by approximately one, with the nanostructures acquiring pronounced antimicrobial properties.

Keywords

• aluminum
• bimetallic nanoparticles
• silver
• oxidation
• alumina
• boehmite