One-pot synthesis of a highly disperse core–shell CuO–alginate nanocomposite and the investigation of its antibacterial and catalytic properties

Abstract

In this study, sodium alginate was extracted from Sargassum algae, collected from coastal waters of Bushehr, Persian Gulf, Iran and used as a stabilizing and wrapping agent for CuO nanoparticles. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by some spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, such as IR, XRD, Uv–vis, BET, BJH, zeta potential, SEM, TEM, HR-TEM, and XPS. The antibacterial effects of the CuO–alginate nanocomposite against some bacteria, isolated from a burn wound, were evaluated. The results showed that this nanocomposite had better antibacterial effects than its components on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600, Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 49461. Among these, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600 was the most sensitive one to this nanocomposite, with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (2.08 mg mL⁻¹) observed. Moreover, the synthesized nanocomposite showed good catalytic activity in the oxidative coupling of carboxylic acids with N,N-dialkylformamides toward the synthesis of amides.