Effect of Copper Ion Incorporation on Structure and Antibacterial Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles

Zinc oxide nanoparticles through precipitation method as a cost-effective and flexible process by two different routes were synthesized. The effect of process parameters on the structure, particle size and antibacterial properties of nanoparticles was investigated by using FESEM, XRD and antibacterial test. FESEM micrographs showed that the nanoparticles synthesized at higher heat treatment temperature without the use of stabilizing agent have particle size within 20-120 nm but those synthesized using stabilizing agent at lower heat treatment temperature have a smaller size in the range of 10-70 nm. In other to incorporate copper into the ZnO structure, the stabilizing agent-containing route was used. The XRD results showed that the use of low concentration of copper led to incorporation of Cu into the ZnO structure. However, two phases of copper oxide and zinc oxide were formed when the higher concentration of copper was used. The antibacterial test against gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus proved the higher antibacterial activity of the copper doped zinc oxide. The findings indicate that the copper doped zinc oxide nanoparticles may be a good candidate of antibacterial agent for biomedical applications.