Green synthesis of copper oxide using Litchi chinensis leaf extract and nanocomposite formation with MXene for antimicrobial and antinematicidal activity.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop an eco-friendly CuO-loaded Ti₃C₂T _x MXene nanocomposite using Litchi chinensis leaf extract and evaluate its potential for antimicrobial and antinematicidal applications. The objective was to employ a green synthesis strategy in which the leaf extract served as a natural reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent for CuO nanoparticle formation, while Ti₃C₂T _x MXene was prepared from Ti₃AlC₂ through chemical etching. The CuO/MXene nanocomposite was fabricated by dispersing CuO nanoparticles with MXene to obtain a hybrid material with improved physicochemical and biological performance. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of plant-derived functional groups and Cu-O bonding, indicating the successful formation and surface stabilization of CuO nanoparticles. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of CuO; SEM showed CuO nanoparticles ranging from 82.82-147.53 nm, MXene sheets around 696.04-740.39 nm, and CuO/MXene particles between 118.03 and 134.37 nm. TGA showed high thermal stability with residues of 88.7% for CuO, 93.5% for MXene, and 85.22% for CuO/MXene. Antibacterial results showed inhibition zones of 11 mm for CuO against S. aureus and 8 mm against E. coli, while CuO/MXene showed 8 mm and 7 mm, respectively. Antinematicidal activity against C. elegans reached 45.67% for CuO, 67.67% for MXene, and 63% for CuO/MXene at 100 µg µl^-1. Overall, the study revealed that the synthesized nanocomposites may serve as promising future bioagents.