Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Schiff Nanocomposites and Evaluation of Their Biological Activity

Abstract

The spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains (MDRB), a worldwide concern, has increased the mortality rates linked to bacterial and fungal infections in recent years, decreasing the efficacy of current treatments. Therefore, the development of novel antibacterial and antifungal agents is imperative. In this work, three Schiff base nanostructures (R1–R3) were synthesized via thermal fusion with triazole and various benzaldehyde derivatives. The prepared compounds were characterized using FT-IR, FESEM, XRD, AFM, and TGA/DSC. The results confirmed the successful formation of homogeneous nanostructures exhibiting high thermal stability. The nanoparticles’ morphological shape and crystalline characteristics were revealed by XRD and FESEM data. The agar diffusion method was used to assess the antibacterial activity of the produced nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at concentrations of 0.01, 0.001, and 0.0001 mg/mL. The results indicated a concentration-dependent increase in antibacterial activity. Among the compounds tested, R1 showed the highest efficacy against both bacterial strains, demonstrating activity similar to that of the standard antibiotic ampicillin.