Chitosan capped copper oxide/copper nanoparticles encapsulated microbial resistant nanocomposite films

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Chitosan (CH)-capped inorganic nanomaterials are recognized for their antibacterial potential in clinical applications.
• Developing effective antibacterial composite films is crucial for advancing wound care and infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize two novel antibacterial composite films incorporating chitosan-capped copper oxide (CHCuO) and copper (CHCu) nanoparticles (NPs).
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized CHCuO and CHCu NPs and their corresponding composite films against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CHCuO and CHCu NPs via facile chemical reduction of Cu²⁺ ions using sodium hydroxide and ascorbic acid.
• Characterization of nanoparticle morphology and size using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
• Assessment of antimicrobial activity using the inhibition zone method against representative bacterial strains.

Main Results:

• TEM analysis confirmed rod-type nanoflake morphology for CHCuO NPs and spherical morphology for CHCu NPs, with sizes around ~7 ± 2 nm.
• Both CHCuO and CHCu NPs exhibited antibacterial activity.
• The CHCuO NPs and the CHCuO-CH composite film demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity, indicated by larger inhibition zones compared to other tested materials.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized chitosan-capped copper nanomaterials, particularly CHCuO NPs and CHCuO-CH films, possess significant antibacterial properties.
• These findings suggest the potential utility of these novel composite materials in the development of advanced wound dressing applications for effective infection management.