ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF GO, GO:Ag, GO:ZnO THIN LAYERS AND GO:ZnO/GO:Ag BILAYERS SYNTHESIZED BY SPRAY PYROLYSIS METHOD

Abstract

Graphene oxide thin layers, graphene oxide:silver nano-composite, graphene oxide:zinc oxide nanocomposite and graphene oxide:zinc oxide/graphene oxide:silver bilayer were deposited by spray pyrolysis method. The synthesized thin layers were characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The optical properties and the band gap of the thin layers were also studied and calculated using the Tauc equation. Gram-negative bacterium of Escherichia coli was used to study the antibacterial properties of thin layers. The results showed that among the thin layers investigated, GO:ZnO/GO:Ag bilayer had the greatest effect on the inhibition of E. coli growth and was able to control the growth of bacterium after 2 hours.