Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens
This study reports the synthesis of aluminum-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Al-ZnO NPs) via a top-down mechanochemical solid-state reaction (SSR) approach using high-energy ball milling (HEBM) as a rapid, controllable, and efficient method. Al-ZnO samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD),...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Crystals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/5/397 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850257105433395200 |
|---|---|
| author | Zurayfah Al-Shammari Imen Massoudi Amani Rached Ibtisam Ababutain Azzah Alghamdi Reem Aldakheel Kamal Amin Essam Kotb Amor Ben Ali |
| author_facet | Zurayfah Al-Shammari Imen Massoudi Amani Rached Ibtisam Ababutain Azzah Alghamdi Reem Aldakheel Kamal Amin Essam Kotb Amor Ben Ali |
| author_sort | Zurayfah Al-Shammari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study reports the synthesis of aluminum-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Al-ZnO NPs) via a top-down mechanochemical solid-state reaction (SSR) approach using high-energy ball milling (HEBM) as a rapid, controllable, and efficient method. Al-ZnO samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Significantly, the band gap decreased by 0.215 eV when transitioning from pure ZnO to 9 wt.% Al-doped ZnO (Al-ZnO9). TEM analysis showed that after 4 h of milling at 1000 rpm, the particle size was reduced to 59 nm, exhibiting a spherical morphology crucial for enhanced bioactivity. The antimicrobial properties of the Al-ZnO NPs were evaluated using the well diffusion method against various pathogenic microorganisms, with a particular focus on <i>Staph. aureus</i> ATCC 29213 and <i>Staph. epidermidis</i> ATCC 12228, given their clinical significance as common pathogens in infections related to medical implants and prosthetics. Al-ZnO9 demonstrated superior antibacterial performance, producing inhibition zones of 13 mm and 15 mm against <i>Staph. aureus</i> and <i>Staph. epidermidis</i>, respectively. Moreover, exposure to visible light further amplified the antimicrobial activity. This research underscores the potential for the scalable production of Al-ZnO NPs, presenting a promising solution for addressing infections linked to implanted medical devices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aaa39050a3ea4a4ba0c26caabb11fd15 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj-art-aaa39050a3ea4a4ba0c26caabb11fd152025-08-20T01:56:29ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522025-04-0115539710.3390/cryst15050397Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device PathogensZurayfah Al-Shammari0Imen Massoudi1Amani Rached2Ibtisam Ababutain3Azzah Alghamdi4Reem Aldakheel5Kamal Amin6Essam Kotb7Amor Ben Ali8Department of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaBasic & Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaBasic & Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaBasic & Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaBasic & Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaBasic & Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaThis study reports the synthesis of aluminum-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Al-ZnO NPs) via a top-down mechanochemical solid-state reaction (SSR) approach using high-energy ball milling (HEBM) as a rapid, controllable, and efficient method. Al-ZnO samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Significantly, the band gap decreased by 0.215 eV when transitioning from pure ZnO to 9 wt.% Al-doped ZnO (Al-ZnO9). TEM analysis showed that after 4 h of milling at 1000 rpm, the particle size was reduced to 59 nm, exhibiting a spherical morphology crucial for enhanced bioactivity. The antimicrobial properties of the Al-ZnO NPs were evaluated using the well diffusion method against various pathogenic microorganisms, with a particular focus on <i>Staph. aureus</i> ATCC 29213 and <i>Staph. epidermidis</i> ATCC 12228, given their clinical significance as common pathogens in infections related to medical implants and prosthetics. Al-ZnO9 demonstrated superior antibacterial performance, producing inhibition zones of 13 mm and 15 mm against <i>Staph. aureus</i> and <i>Staph. epidermidis</i>, respectively. Moreover, exposure to visible light further amplified the antimicrobial activity. This research underscores the potential for the scalable production of Al-ZnO NPs, presenting a promising solution for addressing infections linked to implanted medical devices.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/5/397Al-ZnO NPsHEBMphysical propertiesdielectric measurementsin vitro antibacterial activitymedium state variations |
| spellingShingle | Zurayfah Al-Shammari Imen Massoudi Amani Rached Ibtisam Ababutain Azzah Alghamdi Reem Aldakheel Kamal Amin Essam Kotb Amor Ben Ali Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens Crystals Al-ZnO NPs HEBM physical properties dielectric measurements in vitro antibacterial activity medium state variations |
| title | Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens |
| title_full | Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens |
| title_fullStr | Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens |
| title_short | Tailoring Al-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles via Scalable High-Energy Ball Milling–Solid-State Reaction: Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Insights for Light-Activated Antimicrobial Defense Against Medical Device Pathogens |
| title_sort | tailoring al doped zno nanoparticles via scalable high energy ball milling solid state reaction structural optical and dielectric insights for light activated antimicrobial defense against medical device pathogens |
| topic | Al-ZnO NPs HEBM physical properties dielectric measurements in vitro antibacterial activity medium state variations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/5/397 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zurayfahalshammari tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT imenmassoudi tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT amanirached tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT ibtisamababutain tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT azzahalghamdi tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT reemaldakheel tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT kamalamin tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT essamkotb tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens AT amorbenali tailoringaldopedznonanoparticlesviascalablehighenergyballmillingsolidstatereactionstructuralopticalanddielectricinsightsforlightactivatedantimicrobialdefenseagainstmedicaldevicepathogens |