Bio-inspired ultrasonochemical synthesis of blooming flower like ZnO hierarchical architectures and their excellent biostatic performance

Abstract

Novel three dimensional (3D) ZnO hierarchical architectures were fabricated by a bio-inspired ultrasound assisted sonochemical route using self-sacrificial Aloe Vera (A.V.) gel as a bio-surfactant. The emergence of 3D superstructures (SS) is of essential interest, and the ability to program their form has practical ramifications in fields such as optics, biological activity, and catalysis and creates a bouquet of assembled SS with unprecedented levels of complexity and precision. These results outline a nanotechnology strategy for “collaborating” with self-assembly processes in real time to build SS architecture. The structural analysis exhibits that the ZnO SS were high purity without any secondary phases. Photoluminescence (PL) studies indicate that the zinc vacancies (V2n) and singly ionized oxygen vacancies (Vo+) located on the surface of ZnO. Further, we report a ‘smart’ bio-static ZnO SS, which might prevent build-up of active antimicrobial material in the environment. Precisely localized control of activity is achieved, allowing the growth of bacteria to be confined to defined patterns, which has potential for the development of treatments that avoid interference with the endogenous microbial population in other parts of the organism.

Keywords

• Ultrasonication
• Bio-static
• Photoluminescence
• Superstructures
• Self-assembly