Development and antibacterial application of nanocomposites: Effects of molar ratio on Ag2O–CuO nanocomposite synthesised via the microwave-assisted route

A rapid and simple method for Ag2O-CuO nanocomposite synthesis is developed via the microwave-assisted reduction of Ag and Cu ions in an aqueous solution at different molar ratios of precursor. This study aimed to determine the effects of the chemical composition on the microstructure and antibacterial properties of the materials. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of the main phases (Ag2O and CuO) that were successfully synthesised in situ to form a nanocomposite. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy verified that increased Cu ion concentration significantly affected the microstructure of the nanomaterials. The antibacterial activity of the synthesised materials was evaluated using Escherichia coli by estimating the diameter of inhibition zone. Results indicated that an increase in the Cu ion concentration was associated with increased strong antibacterial activity toward E. coli.