Synthesis and antimicrobial studies of graphene-silver nanocomposite through a highly environmentally benign reduction methodology

ABSTRACT

A stable composite material of graphene-silver nanocomposite is synthesized using amla leaf extract as reducing as well as stabilizing agent from its precursor solution of graphene oxide and silver ions. The composite is investigated using UV-Vis, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic techniques that confirmed the formation of said nanocomposite and further characterized by the The X-ray diffraction studies. The average size of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is calculated to be 28 nm. The high resolution scanning electron microscope investigations also confirmed the formation of graphene sheets and the distribution of Ag NPs on these sheets. The graphene-silver nanocomposite exhibited good antimicrobial efficiency against two gram negative (Xanthomonascampestris, Escherichia coli), and two gram positive bacterial(Bacillus megaterium, Candida albicans) cultures.

KEYWORDS:

• Graphene
• silver nanoparticles
• amla leaf extract
• green synthesis
• antibacterial activity

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Dept. of Chemistry and SAIF, IIT Madras for providing XRD, Raman and HRSEM analysis respectively. The authors also thank Dr. P. Nagaprasad for UV-Vis and FT-IR analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.