A multifunctional biocide/sporocide and photocatalyst based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) codoped with silver, carbon, and sulfur

Langmuir. 2010 Feb 16;26(4):2805-10. doi: 10.1021/la902844r.

Abstract

Composite nanostructured samples of Ag (0.5-20%)/(C, S)-TiO(2) were synthesized and characterized by EDX, XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis, BET, XPS, and zeta potential measurements. Photocatalytic and biocidal tests revealed that the amount of the codoped silver (Ag(+)) in (C, S)-TiO(2) played a crucial, distinctive role in the photodegradation of gas-phase acetaldehyde as well as in the inactivation of Escherichia coli cells and Bacillus subtilis spores. Very interestingly, Ag/(C, S)-TiO(2) nanoparticles (crystallite size <10 nm) have shown very strong antimicrobial properties without light activation against both E. coli (log kill >8) and B. subtilis spores (log kill >5) for 30 min exposures, compared with P25-TiO(2). Thus, for the first time, we have demonstrated that titanium dioxide (an environmentally friendly photocatalyst) codoped with silver, carbon, and sulfur can serve as a multifunctional generic biocide as well as a visible light activated photocatalyst.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / cytology
  • Bacillus subtilis / drug effects
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Carbon / pharmacology
  • Catalysis
  • Disinfectants / chemistry*
  • Disinfectants / pharmacology
  • Escherichia coli / cytology
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemistry
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Silver / pharmacology
  • Sulfur / chemistry*
  • Sulfur / pharmacology
  • Surface Properties
  • Titanium / chemistry*
  • Titanium / pharmacology

Substances

  • Disinfectants
  • titanium dioxide
  • Silver
  • Sulfur
  • Carbon
  • Titanium