Microwave-assisted synthesis of copper nanoparticles: influence of copper nanoparticles morphology on the antimicrobial activity

Abstract

Among the several transition metals known to mankind, the synthesis of Cu has remained a major challenge owing to their instinctive oxidative power under ambient conditions. Microwave assisted synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using different types of copper-β-diketonates complexesand glycine as reducing agent. The morphology, size, and structural properties of obtained nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS) techniques. The results of FE-SEM exhibited that the CuNPs of various shapes and size, depended upon the type of copper-β-diketonates complexes used. Furthermore, all the CuNPs exhibited good antimicrobial activity against both, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The result shows that, the cubic CuNPs derived from Cu(acac)₂ demonstrated a better antibacterial activity against both bacterial strains.