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Versatile effects of transition metal-doped copper oxide nanoparticles on the efficacy of photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity

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Abstract

The structural, optical, photocatalytic, and antimicrobial properties of transition metals (Co, Ni, and Mn) incorporated CuO nanostructures via co-precipitation route were thoroughly investigated. The X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the monoclinic structure of pristine and doped CuO nanoparticles. The band gap of the synthesized nanoparticles was estimated using Tauc Plots, and the results revealed that the band gap increases with the incorporation of dopants in the CuO lattice. Sprouts, flowers, and cubic morphological structures were formed while doping copper oxide nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of synthesized nanoparticles for the degradation of rhodamine B dye was investigated. The results show that cobalt-doped CuO nanoparticles have excellent photocatalytic activity when compared to other samples. The antimicrobial activity of pristine and transition metal-doped copper oxide nanoparticles was investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria via the agar well-diffusion method. Transition metal-doped CuO nanoparticles are found to possess more effective microbial resistance than pristine CuO.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to record their sincere thanks to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for providing financial support through Minor Research Project Scheme (MRP) [F.no.MRP-5809/15(SERO)/UGC].

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  1. PG & Research Department of Physics, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous) (Affiliated to Bharathidasan University), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620 017, India

    K. C. Mercy Gnana Malar, R. Venkatesh, S. Keerthana & C. Ravi Dhas

  2. Department of Physics & Research Centre, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), (Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli), Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, 629001, India

    M. B. Arthina Titlin

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Malar, K.C.M.G., Titlin, M.B.A., Venkatesh, R. et al. Versatile effects of transition metal-doped copper oxide nanoparticles on the efficacy of photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity. Journal of Materials Research 37, 4045–4058 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-022-00762-4

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