Influence of ultraviolet irradiation on the optical properties and biological activity of copper nanoparticles prepared by pulsed laser ablation

In this study, we synthesized colloidal copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) utilizing Q-switched Nd:YAG laser ablation on a copper plate immersed in double-distilled water at energies of 200 and 400 mJ, respectively, with 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 pulses. The size and optical properties of nanoparticles were determined using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer, a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The absorption spectra exhibited two surface plasmon resonance peaks (λSPR), one at 217 nm for copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) and the other at 636 nm for CuNPs, with the increase in laser pulses. Consequently, the optical bandgap increased by roughly 3 eV. The TEM and FE-SEM analyses showed nearly spherical Cu nanoparticles with average diameters of 33 and 38 nm for laser energies of 200 and 400 mJ, respectively. An analysis of x-ray diffraction patterns revealed that CuONPs contained the crystallographic planes of a monoclinic and an orthorhombic crystal system. Additionally, the mean crystallite size of laser-ablated nanoparticles increased with increasing pulse energy. Furthermore, the absorption and optical bandgap of CuNPs increased slightly with an increase in ultraviolet irradiation exposure. The results of our study showed an increased inhibitory effect against both Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Escherichia coli bacteria when CuNPs were irradiated by ultraviolet type C.