Preparation, characterization, and antibacterial activity of NiFe2O4/PAMA/Ag–TiO2 nanocomposite

Abstract

We have described a facile fabrication of silver deposited on the TiO₂, Poly Acrylonitrile Co Maleic Anhydride (PAMA) polymer and nickel ferrite composite (NiFe₂O₄/PAMA/Ag–TiO₂) through a three-step procedure. A pre-synthesized NiFe₂O₄ was first coated with PAMA polymer and then Ag–TiO₂ was deposited on the surface of PAMA polymer shell. After the characterization of this three-component composite by various techniques, such as FTIR, XRD, FESEM, BET, TEM and VSM, it was impregnated in standard antibiotic discs. The antibacterial activity of NiFe₂O₄/PAMA/Ag–TiO₂ nanocomposite was investigated against some gram positive and gram negative bacteria by employing disc diffusion assay and then compared with that of naked NiFe₂O₄, NiFe₂O₄/Ag, AgNPs and NiFe₂O₄/PAMA. The results demonstrated that the AgNPs, when embedded in TiO₂and combined with NiFe₂O₄/PAMA, became an excellent antibacterial agent. The NiFe₂O₄/PAMA/Ag–TiO₂ nanocomposite could be readily separated from water solution after the disinfection process by applying an external magnetic field.