Decoration of Ag nanoparticles on the apatite nanosheet-coated silica nanofibers with enhanced anti-bacterial property and photo-catalytic activity

In this study, Ag-decorated apatite nanosheet-coated silica nanofibers (Ag-Ap-Si NFs) with enhanced anti-bacterial and photo-catalytic properties were synthesized through incubation of apatite nanosheet-coated silica nanofibers (Ap-Si NFs) in the suspension of chitosan-stabilized Ag nanoparticles (NPs). SEM observations showed that Ag-Ap-Si NFs had the diameter of 840-2340 nm and possessed a hierarchical structure. TEM observations showed the surface of Ag-Ap-Si NFs was constructed by the composites of apatite nanosheets with the thickness around 10 nm and Ag NPs with the size of 5-20 nm. It was found that Ag-Ap-Si NFs showed enhanced anti-bacterial property to inhibit the growth of both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and superior photo-catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4. The present Ag-Ap-Si NFs would be applicable as multi-functional materials with both photo-catalytic and anti-bacterial properties for wastewater treatment at weak acidic and basic pH.