TiO₂-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) with Antibacterial Properties

This paper presents the synthesis and characteristics of Fe₃O₄/C/TiO₂ hybrid magnetic nanomaterials with antibacterial properties. The materials used were obtained using a microwave-assisted two-stage precipitation method. In the first stage, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) were prepared with the precipitation method, during which an additional glucose layer was placed on them. Next, the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles was covered by TiO₂. It was observed that the addition of carbon and titanium dioxide caused a decrease in the average size of magnetite crystallites from 15.6 to 9.2 nm. Materials with varying contents of anatase phase were obtained. They were characterized in terms of phase composition, crystallite size, specific surface area, surface charge and the kinds of function groups on the surface. The results show a successful method of synthesizing hybrid magnetic nanoparticles, stable in a solution, with antibacterial properties under direct solar light irradiation. Compared to classical materials based on TiO₂ and used for water disinfection, the obtained photocatalytic nanomaterials have magnetic properties. Owing to this fact, they can be easily removed from water once their activity under direct irradiance in a given process has completed.