Silver-coated copper nanocomposites synthesis using the essence of Foeniculum vulgare mill and estimation of its antibacterial and cytotoxicity effects

The Cu_3.96Ag_0.04 nanoparticles were synthesized using the essence of Foeniculum vulgare Mill for the first time. The particles were fully analysed by conventional characterization methods such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results have shown the crystal structure of silver copper particles and the crystallite size obtained by the Scherer equation was 23.2 nm. The TEM images interestingly displayed the formation of nanorods in the solid phase with nearly 5 nm widths and different lengths up to 100 nm. The hydrodynamic size is also compatible with the solid phase and crystallite sizes. Biologically, the particles were tested against infective gram negative and gram positive bacteria. The synthetic NPs show strong antibacterial properties against gram negative bacteria. Also, the synthesized nanoparticles had an inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells, which was dose- and time-dependent.