Facile preparation of zeolite Na–P supported by nanozinc oxide for antibacterials

Abstract

This research presents facile and short-time synthesis of zeolite Na–P supported by nanozinc oxide (nano-ZnO), demonstrating significant progress in developing antibacterial agents. Zeolites Na–P synthesized from Narathiwat kaolinite and silica derived from sugarcane bagasse ash were prepared by refluxing at 100 °C for 8 h. The zeolites Na–P were then functionalized with nano-ZnO in concentrations of 1 % w/w, 3 % w/w, and 5 % w/w in an ultrasound bath at 70 °C for 15 min and stirred with 1400 rpm at 70 °C for 3 h to form nanocomposites. The composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, which confirmed the successful integration of nano-ZnO without affecting the crystal structure of the zeolites. The antibacterial efficacy of the synthesized nanocomposites against various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, was evaluated using the disc diffusion method. The zeolites loaded with 3 % w/w nano-ZnO exhibited the highest antibacterial activity, outperforming the other formulations. The potential of zeolites Na–P is supported by nano-ZnO as a highly effective antibacterial agent, which has important implications for applications in healthcare and environmental remediation.