Functionalized carbon nanotubes in ZnO thin films for photoinactivation of bacteria

Two types of unfunctionalized and functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared to be applied in fabrication of MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposite thin films with various MWCNT contents. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated formation of functional groups on surface of the functionalized MWCNTs in the MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposite. Formation of the effective carbonaceous bonds between the ZnO and the MWCNTs was also investigated through photoinactivation of Escherichia coli bacteria on surface of the both unfunctionalized and functionalized MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposites. The functionalized MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposites showed significantly stronger photoinactivation of the bacteria than the unfunctionalized ones, for all of the various MWCNT contents (from 2 to 30 wt%). While the functionalized MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposites with the optimum MWCNT content of 10 wt% inactivated whole of the bacteria after 10 min UV–visible light irradiation, the unfunctionalized ones could inactivate only 63% of the bacteria under the same conditions. The significant enhancement of the photoinactivation of the bacteria onto the surface of the functionalized MWCNT–ZnO nanocomposites was assigned to charge transfer through Zn–O–C bands formed between the Zn atoms of the ZnO film and oxygen atoms of the carboxylic functional groups of the functionalized MWCNTs.

► Unfunctionalized and functionalized MWCNT/ZnO thin films were synthesized by sol–gel method.
► Zn–O–C carbonaceous bonds formed in the functionalized MWCNT/ZnO thin films.
► The functionalized MWCNT/ZnO had stronger photoinactivation of the bacteria than the unfunctionalize type.
► 10 wt% functionalized MWCNT content had the optimum antibacterial property.