Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces

Abstract In the construction sector, diverse microorganisms have the ability to form biofilms on constructed surfaces affecting the health of the inhabitants. In this sense, diverse nanomaterials of titanium oxide (TiO2), copper oxide (CuO), and CuO/TiO2 were synthesized by the sol–gel method, Pechi...

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Main Authors: Z. Martínez-Corona, D. S. García-Zaleta, R. López-González, C. García-Mendoza, M. A. Alvarez-Lemus, C. Encarnacion-Gomez, S. A. Gómez-Cornelio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00288-7
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author Z. Martínez-Corona
D. S. García-Zaleta
R. López-González
C. García-Mendoza
M. A. Alvarez-Lemus
C. Encarnacion-Gomez
S. A. Gómez-Cornelio
author_facet Z. Martínez-Corona
D. S. García-Zaleta
R. López-González
C. García-Mendoza
M. A. Alvarez-Lemus
C. Encarnacion-Gomez
S. A. Gómez-Cornelio
author_sort Z. Martínez-Corona
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the construction sector, diverse microorganisms have the ability to form biofilms on constructed surfaces affecting the health of the inhabitants. In this sense, diverse nanomaterials of titanium oxide (TiO2), copper oxide (CuO), and CuO/TiO2 were synthesized by the sol–gel method, Pechini method, and a mechanical synthesismethod. The influence of the thermal treatment (425–575 °C) on the formation of crystalline phases in the compounds, as well as their antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was investigated. X-ray diffraction technique(XRD) results displayed the formation of anatase, rutile, and tenorite phases on the as-synthesized samples. The Rietveld refinement analysis estimated the composition of phases, as well as the crystal size for each crystalline phase in the specimens (from ~ 16 up to ~ 165 nm). The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the characteristic M–O vibrations of the TiO2 and CuO compounds. No relevant signals of the precursors were detected. RAMAN spectroscopy confirmed the formation of anatase and rutile phases in the TiO2 nanomaterials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed the morphology of the compounds and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) analysis showed the particle sizes (from ~ 225 to ~ 750 nm) with Z-potentials between − 11 mV and − 21 mV. Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms results revealed pore sizes between ~ 0.2 and ~ 12.4 nm as well as surface area values up to ~ 158 m2/g. Finally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) evaluation revealed that the compounds that CuO-based compounds exhibit good antibacterial activity, with MIC values starting at 0.625 mg/mL, and the CuO/TiO2 sample at 475 °C showed the highest efficacy at 0.312 mg/mL. These results suggest that the as-synthesized compounds could be used as disinfection agents on construction surfaces and in sick buildings, as well as they could to reduce the health risks associated with exposure to bacteria.
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spelling doaj-art-36abb15563c14aa892aaf9f839fd967b2025-08-20T02:39:03ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering3004-89582025-05-0120111510.1186/s40712-025-00288-7Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfacesZ. Martínez-Corona0D. S. García-Zaleta1R. López-González2C. García-Mendoza3M. A. Alvarez-Lemus4C. Encarnacion-Gomez5S. A. Gómez-Cornelio6División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez (UJAT-DAMJM), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoDivisión Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez (UJAT-DAMJM), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoDivisión Académica de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (UJAT-DAIA), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoDivisión Académica de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (UJAT-DAIA), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoDivisión Académica de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (UJAT-DAIA), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoDivisión Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez (UJAT-DAMJM), Universidad Juárez Autónoma de TabascoUniversidad Politécnica del Centro (UPC)Abstract In the construction sector, diverse microorganisms have the ability to form biofilms on constructed surfaces affecting the health of the inhabitants. In this sense, diverse nanomaterials of titanium oxide (TiO2), copper oxide (CuO), and CuO/TiO2 were synthesized by the sol–gel method, Pechini method, and a mechanical synthesismethod. The influence of the thermal treatment (425–575 °C) on the formation of crystalline phases in the compounds, as well as their antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was investigated. X-ray diffraction technique(XRD) results displayed the formation of anatase, rutile, and tenorite phases on the as-synthesized samples. The Rietveld refinement analysis estimated the composition of phases, as well as the crystal size for each crystalline phase in the specimens (from ~ 16 up to ~ 165 nm). The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the characteristic M–O vibrations of the TiO2 and CuO compounds. No relevant signals of the precursors were detected. RAMAN spectroscopy confirmed the formation of anatase and rutile phases in the TiO2 nanomaterials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed the morphology of the compounds and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) analysis showed the particle sizes (from ~ 225 to ~ 750 nm) with Z-potentials between − 11 mV and − 21 mV. Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms results revealed pore sizes between ~ 0.2 and ~ 12.4 nm as well as surface area values up to ~ 158 m2/g. Finally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) evaluation revealed that the compounds that CuO-based compounds exhibit good antibacterial activity, with MIC values starting at 0.625 mg/mL, and the CuO/TiO2 sample at 475 °C showed the highest efficacy at 0.312 mg/mL. These results suggest that the as-synthesized compounds could be used as disinfection agents on construction surfaces and in sick buildings, as well as they could to reduce the health risks associated with exposure to bacteria.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00288-7TiO2CuO/TiO2Constructed surfacesAntibacterial activity
spellingShingle Z. Martínez-Corona
D. S. García-Zaleta
R. López-González
C. García-Mendoza
M. A. Alvarez-Lemus
C. Encarnacion-Gomez
S. A. Gómez-Cornelio
Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering
TiO2
CuO/TiO2
Constructed surfaces
Antibacterial activity
title Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
title_full Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
title_fullStr Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
title_full_unstemmed Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
title_short Antibacterial activity of TiO2, CuO, and CuO/TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
title_sort antibacterial activity of tio2 cuo and cuo tio2 nanomaterials and their potential application on construction surfaces
topic TiO2
CuO/TiO2
Constructed surfaces
Antibacterial activity
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00288-7
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