Nanostructured microspheres of silver @ zinc oxide: an excellent impeder of bacterial growth and biofilm

Nanostructured (metal/semiconductor) Ag@ZnO a photoactive material is synthesized by facile hydrothermal method. The FESEM analysis of as synthesized Ag@ZnO nanostructures showed formation of submicron-sized microspheres, composed of small nanoparticles of size in the range of 10–20 nm. The as synthesized Ag@ZnO nanostructures possess wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO with band edge transition to visible region due to surface plasmon effect of silver which ultimately is responsible for the improved photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic action of Ag@ZnO nanostructures impede the growth of model organisms Bacillus subtilis NCIM 2063 and Escherichia coli NCIM 2931, and biofilm in Pseudomonas aeruginosa O1. The present study is important as it introduces an excellent functionality of Ag@ZnO, an agent for impeding the biofilm and bacterial communities inside the biofilm.