Study of structural, optical and antibacterial properties of starch-capped Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs)

In our present investigation, we have synthesized starch-capped Cu doped ZnO (ZnO:Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) by simple wet chemical method and studied their structural, optical and antibacterial effects on/against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Chemically synthesized nanoparticle have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy for their structural and optical properties. Antibacterial properties have been studied by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (E. coli, Gram-negative) bacteria. XRD study showed hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure of the prepared ZnO:Cu and nanoformation of the as-synthesized NPs. Nanoparticle formation have been finally confirmed by HRTEM analysis. Antibacterial studies showed excellent resistance of ZnO:Cu to S. aureus and E. coli respectively.  Copyright © 2018 VBRI Press.