Tuning the combined magnetic and antibacterial properties of ZnO nanopowders through Mn doping for biomedical applications

• Report on unique combined magnetic and antibacterial study of ZnO:Mn nanopowders.
• Magnetic, surface and antibacterial properties are corroborated appropriately.
• A simple low-cost synthesis procedure is adopted.

Manganese (Mn) doped ZnO nanopowders (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 at%) were synthesized using a simple soft chemical route and their structural, optical, surface morphological, magnetic and antibacterial properties were investigated. Structural studies show that the nanopowders exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO. No other secondary phases like MnO2, MnO, Mn3O4 and Mn2O3 are observed. The blue shift observed in the photoluminescence spectra beyond the Mn doping level of 6 at% shows that there is an increase in the carrier concentration, caused by the interstitial incorporation of Zn and Mn in the ZnO matrix. From the antibacterial studies, it is found that ZnO:Mn nanopowders with higher Mn doping level (8 and 10 at%) exhibit good antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. The magnetization curves obtained using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) show a sign of strong room temperature ferromagnetic behavior when the Mn doping level is 6 at% and a weak room temperature ferromagnetic behavior, when the Mn doping level is below 6 at%. Beyond 6 at% they are found to exhibit antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic properties, when the Mn doping levels are 8 and 10 at%, respectively. The SEM images indicate that there is a gradual decrease in the grain size with increase in the Mn doping level. The EDAX profile clearly confirms the presence of expected elements in the final product, in appropriate proportions.