Formulation, characterization and applications of titanium dioxide, polyoxometalates and silver nanocomposites

摘要

Titanium dioxide (TiO_2) possesses excellent photocatalytic activity; polyoxometalates (POMs) are keggin ions with exceptional biomedical potentials; and silver (Ag) is best known for its antimicrobial behaviour. In present work, we combine all these three materials in a single system at nanoscale level, which may provide better prospects towards industrial and biological contaminants. Composites of TiO_2 and two types of POMs (phosphotungstic acid / PTA or phosphomolybdic acid / PMA) were prepared separately followed by their functionalization with tyrosine reduced Ag nanoparticles. After in-depth physicochemical characterization using TEM, DLS and Zeta potential analyser, all these materials were subjected to in-vitro Congo red dye degradation and antibacterial studies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The composites have shown significant impact on dye degradation and antibacterial potentials.