BN/Ag hybrid nanomaterials with petal-like surfaces as catalysts and antibacterial agents

Konstantin L Firestein; Denis V Leybo; Alexander E Steinman; Andrey M Kovalskii; Andrei T Matveev; Anton M Manakhov; Irina V Sukhorukova; Pavel V Slukin; Nadezda K Fursova; Sergey G Ignatov; Dmitri V Golberg; Dmitry V Shtansky

doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.27

BN/Ag hybrid nanomaterials with petal-like surfaces as catalysts and antibacterial agents

Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2018 Jan 23:9:250-261. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.9.27. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Leninsky prospect 4, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation.
² School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2nd George st., Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
³ State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region 142279, Russian Federation.
⁴ Moscow State University, Department of Geocryology, Moscow 119992, Russian Federation.
⁵ World Premier International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Namiki 1, Ibaraki 3050044, Japan.

Abstract

BN/Ag hybrid nanomaterials (HNMs) and their possible applications as novel active catalysts and antibacterial agents are investigated. BN/Ag nanoparticle (NP) hybrids were fabricated using two methods: (i) chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of BN NPs in the presence of Ag vapours, and (ii) ultraviolet (UV) decomposition of AgNO₃ in a suspension of BN NPs. The hybrid microstructures were studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), high-angular dark field scanning TEM imaging paired with energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). They were also characterized in terms of thermal stability, Ag⁺ ion release, catalytic and antibacterial activities. The materials synthesized via UV decomposition of AgNO₃ demonstrated a much better catalytic activity in comparison to those prepared using the CVD method. The best catalytic characteristics (100% methanol conversion at 350 °C) were achieved using the UV BN/Ag HNMs without preliminary annealing at 600 °C in an oxidizing atmosphere. Both types of the BN/Ag HNMs possess a profound antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli K-261 bacteria.

Keywords: BN/Ag hybrid nanomaterials; antibacterial agents; catalysts; chemical vapour deposition; nanomaterials.