Green synthesis and antimicrobial study on the catechin-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 -Ag magnetic nanocomposites

In this study, catechin-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocomposites were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The motivation for this study was to develop a novel antibacterial agent with enhanced stability and biocompatibility. The objective was to create a nanocomposite combining the antimicrobial properties of silver with the antioxidant and bioactive characteristics of catechin. We hypothesized that the synergistic effect of catechin and Fe 3 O 4 -Ag would yield a highly effective antibacterial material against common pathogens. The obtained nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, SEM, AFM, XPS, XRD, FTIR and physical property measurement system (PPMS). TEM images indicated that catechin-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocomposites have a spherical morphology with an average size of 25.7 nm. The SEM and AFM imaging revealed that the nanocomposites appear as a number of large particles with average diameter of 581 nm. XPS and XRD and FTIR measurement confirmed the presence of catechin components, Fe 3 O 4 and Ag in the nanocomposites. Taken together, we conclude that the catechin-Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocomposites in this study have a jujube cake structure in which the Fe 3 O 4 -Ag alloy nanoparticles serve as the jujube and the condensed catechin form into the cake substrate. The antimicrobial test indicated the catechin-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocomposites have obvious inhibitory effects on E.coli, S.aureus, and C.albicans .