Dual-functional nanostructures: Photocatalytic and biomedical applications of vanadium oxide activated CuCr2O4/MCM-41

In this research, we examine the multifunctional capabilities of V2O5/CuCr2O4/MCM-41 nanostructures in the context of photocatalytic degradation of alizarine red and bromothymol blue and photoinhibition of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. For photocatalytic capabilities, the V2O5/CuCr2O4/MCM-41 nanostructures displayed remarkable competence in the degradation of organic dyes, such as AR and BTB, under Visible light irradiation. The results showed that more than 95 % of both the dyes were degraded in only 50 min. In dark conditions less than 50 % degradation was observed for both the dyes in 150 min. Furthermore, the nanostructures established hopeful antibacterial properties through the photoinhibition of both E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. The zone of inhibition of V2O5/CuCr2O4/MCM-41 under visible irradiation against E. coli and S. aureus was (18 +/- 0.3 mm) and (22 +/- 0.2 mm) respectively. The nanostructures effectively blocked bacterial growth and viability, highlighting their capability for applications in water disinfection and of V2O5/CuCr2O4/ MCM-41 antibacterial coatings.