Fe₃O₄@Resorcinol–Formaldehyde Resin/Cu₂O Composite Microstructures: Solution-Phase Construction, Magnetic Performance, and Applications in Antibacterial and Catalytic Fields

摘要

Multifunctional Fe_(3)O_(4)@resorcinol–formaldehyde resin/Cu_(2)O composite microstructures (denoted as Fe_(3)O_(4)@RF/Cu_(2)O microstructures) were successfully constructed via a simple wet chemical route that has not been reported so far in the literature. The as-obtained Fe_(3)O_(4)@RF/Cu_(2)O microstructures were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The investigations showed that the as-obtained microstructures presented not only excellent antibacterial activity to Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria) but also highly efficient catalytic ability for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in a solution with excess NaBH_(4). Owing to the presence of Fe_(3)O_(4), the antibacterial reagent and the catalyst could be readily collected from the mixed systems under the assistance of an external magnetic field. It was found that the as-obtained microstructures displayed good cycling stability in antibacterial and catalytic applications. Fe_(3)O_(4)@RF/Cu_(2)O microstructures still retained more than 87% of the antibacterial efficiency after 5 cycles and 89% of the catalytic efficiency after 10 cycles.