Exploring the ferroelectric effect of nanocrystalline strontium zinc titanate/Cu: Raman and antimicrobial activity

Nanocrystalline strontium zinc titanate/copper nanoparticle (SZT/Cu) with tetragonal phase was prepared by the acidic sol-gel route and calcined at 700 degrees C. The phase formation, morphology, and spectroscopic properties of the (SZT/Cu) were investigated via the X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron spectroscopy (FE-SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra reflected the internal rearrangement in the internal structure of strontium zinc titanate (SZT) under the effect of Cu. The dielectric properties of SZT/Cu were investigated over a wide frequency range from 4 Hz to 8 MHz at different temperatures. A ferroelectric behavior with a diffuse phase transition is observed in the behavior of the dielectric constant against temperature. The observed Curie temperature is in the range (40 to 50 degrees C) with a diffuseness coefficient (alpha) range from (1.12 to 1.49). The antimicrobial activities of the three prepared samples exhibited antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (G(+ve) bacterium), Escherichia coli (G(-ve) bacterium), Candida albicans (yeast), and Aspergillus niger (fungus). Strontium zinc titanate doped with 6 mol% of Cu showed higher antimicrobial activities more than the rest samples with inhibition zones of 36, 30, 43 and 47 mm for S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and A. niger, respectively.