Facile in-situ fabrication of a ternary ZnO/TiO2/Ag nanocomposite for enhanced bactericidal and biocompatibility properties

• Main Authors: Sakthi Mohan, Priyadarshini, Sonsuddin, Faridah, Mainal, Azizah, Yahya, Rosiyah, Venkatraman, Gopinath, S. Vadivelu, Jamuna, Al-Farraj, Dunia A., Al-Mohaimeed, Amal M., Alarijani, Khaloud Mohammed
• Format: Article
• Published: MDPI 2021
• Subjects: RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine; RC Internal medicine; RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RS Pharmacy and materia medica
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/34265/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

This paper presents for the first time a successful fabrication of ternary ZnO/TiO2/Ag nanocomposites consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO), titania (TiO2) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesised using Morinda citrifolia fruit (MCF) extract. ZnONPs were synthesised using the co-precipitation method, and TiO2 and Ag were introduced into the precursor solutions under microwave irradiation to obtain ZnO/TiO2/Ag nanocomposites (NCs). This material demonstrated enhanced bactericidal effect towards bacterial pathogens compared to that of the binary TiO2/Ag, Ag and TiO2 alone. In vitro cytotoxicity results of the as-synthesised ZnO/TiO2/AgNCs on RAW 264.7 macrophages and A549 cell lines revealed a negative role in cytotoxicity, but contributed astoundingly towards antimicrobials as compared of Ag alone and binary Ag/TiO2. This study shows that the resultant ternary metal/bi-semiconductor nanocomposites may provide a therapeutic strategy for the eradication of bacterial pathogens without affecting the healthy mammalian cells.