Nanocomposite films of silver-polyvinyl alcohol (Ag/PVA) with varying silver nanoparticle concentrations (1-5 wt%) were synthesized via a solution casting technique. The films were characterized by understanding the influence of Ag content on their structural, optical, mechanical, and electrical properties. UV-Vis spectroscopy (300-800 nm) revealed a red shift in absorption peaks and a significant decrease in the optical band gap from 5.39 eV to 1.06 eV with increasing Ag concentration, indicating the formation of additional energy states within the PVA matrix. FTIR and SEM analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of nanoparticles and revealed changes in surface functionalities and morphology. Mechanically, the nanocomposites exhibited enhanced tensile strength, elongation at break, Young’s modulus, and hardness, attributed to a strong interfacial network between the Ag nanoparticles and the PVA chains. The incorporation of Ag also imparted antibacterial properties and increased hydrophobicity. Electrically, the material showed a dramatic improvement in conductivity, achieving a value of 1.5×10⁵ S/cm with just 3 wt% Ag. Furthermore, AC conductivity increased with frequency and Ag content (from 5.8×10⁻⁹ to 1.01×10⁻⁴ S/cm), while the dielectric constant decreased from 0.95 to 0.25 at 1000 kHz, confirming the role of Ag in facilitating charge transport. These findings demonstrate the great potential of Ag/PVA nanocomposites for use in flexible electronics.
Eleven yoghurt samples were collected from local markets in Baghdad to isolate Lactobacillus buchneri. Only 3 isolates of L. buchneri were found and the isolate No. 3 was the most producer of bacteriocin. Bacteriocin was adsorbed 100% onto silicic acid at pH 6.0-7.0. Below or above these pH values, adsorption was decreased, ranging between 35 and 90%. Therefore, pH 6.0 was used for the purification procedure. The purification procedure including silicic acid adsorption/desorption and cation-exchange chromatography (CEC) resulted in a 11.11 fold increase in the final specific activity of pure bacteriocin (1176.47 Au/mg) compared to the culture supernatant which was 32.64 Au/mg. The molecular weight was determined to be about 3.4 kDa. The bac
... Show MoreIntroduction and Aim: Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides that have bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic activity against other bacteria. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial efficiency of Klebocin a K. pneumoniae bacteriocin, against biofilm formation by clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA. Materials and Methods: S. aureus isolated from clinical samples was identified according to vitek 2 system Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed according to disc diffusion method. Vitek 2 compact system was also used to detect MRSA strains. Agar well diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of klebocin from K. pneumoniae towards 11 strains of S. aureus by
... Show MoreCompounds from ZnO doped with AgO in different ratio (0,3,5,7, and 9)wt.% were prepared.Thin films from the prepared compounds were deposited on a glass substrate using the pulsed laser deposition method. The XRD pattern confirmed the presence of a single-phase hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure, without the presence of a secondary phase. AFM measurements showed an increase in both average grain size and average surface roughness with increasing concentration content of (AgO).The crystallite size of ZnO of the main peak corresponding to the preferred plane of crystal growth named (100) increases from 17.8 to 22.5nm by increasing of AgO doping ratio from 0 to 9%. The absorbance and transmittance in the wavelength range (350-1100 nm)
... Show MoreSilver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are of potential interest because of their effective antibacterial and antiviral activities. Capping agents are used for exhibiting a better antibacterial activity than uncapped Ag NPs. There are very few reports that have shown the usage of AgNPs for in-vivo antibacterial therapy. Citrate-capped silver nanoparticles were synthesized chemically by citrate reduction method; the size of Cit-AgNPs was determined by an atomic force microscope (AFM) and was between 15-90 nm. Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) isolates were the only sensitive species to Cit-AgNPs. MICs and MBC of Cit-AgNPs were determined by using A. baumannii. The results showed an additive effect of Cit-AgNPs. Four mice groups were infected with
... Show MoreInfluence of metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms upon soil-borne microscopic fungus Aspergillus terreus K-8 was studied. It was established that the metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms affect the enzymatic activity of the studied culture. Silver nanoparticles lead to a decrease in cellulase activity and completely suppress the amylase activity of the fungus, while copper nanoparticles completely inhibit the activity of both the cellulase complex and amylase. The obtained results imply that the large-scale use of silver and copper nanoparticles may disrupt biological processes in the soil and cause change in the physiological and biochemical state of soil-borne microorganisms as well.