Photochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles on chitosans/montmorillonite nanocomposite films and antibacterial activity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthetized on chitosans/montmorillonite nanocomposite films by photochemical method. Nanocomposites were prepared using chitosans with different molar masses and deacetylation degrees, as well as modified with diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) and dodecyl groups. AgNPs formation on the films was followed by the appearance of the plasmon band around 440 nm as a function of irradiation time. TEM images revealed AgNPs with spherical morphology for all nanocomposites. For nanocomposites using modified chitosans, the AgNPs synthesis occurred quickly (1.5 h) while for the others films it was above 11 h. The film of modified chitosan with dodecyl and DEAE groups presented smaller and more uniform nanoparticles size along mixture of exfoliated and intercalated structures. This modified chitosan is an amphiphilic compound that can act controlling the size/shape of the AgNPs. The results of antibacterial activity suggested that all nanocomposite-AgNPs films inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.