Hierarchical aluminum oxyhydroxide as nanoparticles carrier

Abstract

The article reports on the preparation and properties of composite nanoparticles based on aluminum oxyhydroxide AlOOH with high antimicrobial activity. To obtain silver-modified AlOOH, Al and Al-Ag nanoparticles obtained by electric explosion of wires were used. The synthesis was carried out under “environmentally friendly” conditions by the oxidation of the nanoparticles with water at a temperature of 65°C. As a result of the bimetallic Al-Ag nanoparticles oxidation, porous AlOOH-Ag agglomerates are formed with inclusions of silver nanoparticles 5–30 nm in size. Oxidation of Al nanopowder yields AlOOH agglomerates, consisting of folded boehmite nanosheets with a size of about 200 nm and a thickness of 2–5 nm. A colloidal silver solution was used to modify AlOOH, and AlOOH(Ag) nanostructures were obtained. The resulting nanostructures AlOOH-Ag and AlOOH(Ag) had pronounced antimicrobial properties. The AlOOH-Ag composite possessed the highest antimicrobial activity due to the formation of a large number of small silver nanoparticles resulting from dealloying of the initial Al-Ag nanoparticles. The presented results open up new possibilities for the synthesis of metal oxide nanocomposites using hierarchical aluminum oxyhydroxide which can be used in catalysis, biomedical applications, water treatment technologies, etc.