1 research outputs found
Air Stable Magnetic Bimetallic Fe–Ag Nanoparticles for Advanced Antimicrobial Treatment and Phosphorus Removal
We report on new magnetic bimetallic
Fe–Ag nanoparticles
(NPs) which exhibit significant antibacterial and antifungal activities
against a variety of microorganisms including disease causing pathogens,
as well as prolonged action and high efficiency of phosphorus removal.
The preparation of these multifunctional hybrids, based on direct
reduction of silver ions by commercially available zerovalent iron
nanoparticles (nZVI) is fast, simple, feasible in a large scale with
a controllable silver NP content and size. The microscopic observations
(transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy/electron
diffraction spectroscopy) and phase analyses (X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer
spectroscopy) reveal the formation of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/γ-FeOOH
double shell on a “redox” active nZVI surface. This
shell is probably responsible for high stability of magnetic bimetallic
Fe–Ag NPs during storage in air. Silver NPs, ranging between
10 and 30 nm depending on the initial concentration of AgNO<sub>3</sub>, are firmly bound to Fe NPs, which prevents their release even during
a long-term sonication. Taking into account the possibility of easy
magnetic separation of the novel bimetallic Fe–Ag NPs, they
represent a highly promising material for advanced antimicrobial and
reductive water treatment technologies