Investigation of the Antibacterial Effect of Silver-Alumina Nanoparticles Synthesized by Combustion Methods in Ceramic-Based Applications

In recent years, the urgent demand to combat pathogenic viruses and drug-resistant bacteria has underscored the importance of developing novel antimicrobial agents. This study aims to investigate the antibacterial properties of silver-alumina (Ag-Al2O3) nanoparticles, which were synthesized through combustion methods utilizing ammonium nitrate and ammonium acetate as fuels. The combustion method offers a rapid and cost-effective synthesis route for achieving high-purity nanoparticles. Different techniques for example transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were employed to characterize the synthesized silver-alumina nanoparticles. The choice of fuels can also influence the shape and dimensions of the nanoparticles (Riyanti et al., Turkish Journal of Chemistry46, 1875-1882, 2022). In this study, the impact of various fuels on the shape, dimensions, and antibacterial properties of nanoparticles was investigated. It was found that the use of fuels such as ammonium nitrate and ammonium acetate resulted in the formation of Ag-alpha-Al2O3 and Ag-gamma-Al2O3 nanocompounds, respectively. The average size of the particles ranged from 10 to 20 nm and the average size of the agglomerates ranged from 58 to 100 nm. The silver-alumina nanopowders showed a largely developed surface area with numerous open pores. Next, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles on both Gram-positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes PTCC 1295, Bacillus cereus ATCC 19659, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 9610, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028). The findings showed that the silver nanoparticles displayed outstanding antimicrobial efficacy against both bacterial strains. Furthermore, the nanoparticles are intended for application in ceramic-based materials. The results of this research will offer valuable understanding regarding the potential uses of silver-alumina nanoparticles in ceramic-based materials, which could lead to the creation of ceramic products with improved antibacterial properties. This presents a promising method for developing of surfaces with inherent antimicrobial properties.