Multifunctional Methods to Synthesize Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Antimicrobial Properties

Graduate #79
Discipline:
Subcategory: Materials Science

Aiesha L. Ethridge - Tuskegee University
Co-Author(s): Amir I. Mills, Demetrius A. Finley, and Michael L. Curry, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL

The current state of nanoparticles fabrication via polymer or solid state means is limited by the instability of the formed nanoparticles against self-aggregation and the ability to produce monodispersed nanoparticles on the macro-scale. Hence, motivation for this project is to construct a solid state nanoreactor that uses multifunctional reduction methods (chemical reduction and photoreduction) to produce technologically relevant monometallic and multimetallic nanoparticles with controllable shapes and sizes and with specific designed cores and shell compositions at the macroscale ‘gram scale’. In particular, this design will take advantage of polymeric means (Dendrimers and high temperature polymers such as PEI) to control the growth modes of CuNi, and CuNiCo particles during formation. The resulting morphologies and structures of the formed nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, TEM, and XRD. TEM results showed 4 nm spherical particles. Biological studies were also done to test the toxicity of the nanoparticles formed. Furthermore, future tests will be conducted to establish the influence of the particle’s composition and structure on its bioaccumulation in the environment, its solubility in water and in various buffer solutions, and measure free ions by ICP after being suspended in water for various periods of times and its effect on other biological systems.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): The authors gratefully acknowledge the following grants: CHE-1503408; AGEP HRD-1433005; NSF EPS-1158862; NSF HRD-1137681; The Department of Chemistry; and The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Tuskegee University.

Faculty Advisor: Michael L. Curry, currym@mytu.tuskegee.edu

Role: I synthesized the polyethyleneimine metallic nanoparticles. I performed XRD and UV-vis on the nanoparticles, and freeze dried the nanoparticles. I made agar plates, grew and inoculated the bacteria to perform the biological studies.