Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters) ›› 2017, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 29-35.DOI: 10.1007/s40195-016-0518-7

Special Issue: 2017纳米材料专辑

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Chemical Synthesis of Copper Nanospheres and Nanocubes and Their Antibacterial Activity Against Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp.

A. Alshareef1,K. Laird2,R. B. M. Cross1()   

  1. 1.Faculty of Technology, School of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Emerging Technologies Research Centre De Montfort University Leicester UK
    2.Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Leicester School of Pharmacy De Montfort University Leicester UK
  • Received:2016-02-29 Online:2017-02-16 Published:2017-02-16

Abstract:

The interest in synthesising inorganic nanomaterials for biological applications has increased in recent years, especially for antibacterial purposes. In the present study, spherical and cube-shaped copper nanoparticles were synthesised by a chemical reduction method and their efficacy as antimicrobial agents against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Enterococcus sp.) organisms investigated. The nanoparticles were characterised using ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Copper nanocubes were found to be more antimicrobial when compared with copper nanospheres, and it is postulated that whilst both sets of nanoparticles have similar total surface areas, the different shapes have different active facets and surface energies, which may lead to differing bactericidal behaviour.

Key words: Copper nanoparticles, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Antibacterial, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus sp.