THE INFLUENCE OF ZINC OXIDE CONCENTRATION ON ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE VERMICULITE NANOCOMPOSITE

Antibacterial nanocomposites containing functional zinc oxide were prepared via mechanochemical process. Applying calcination process at 350 and 650 degrees C for 1.5 hour at prepared nanocomposites having different concentrations of zinc oxide on vermiculite matrix was further characterized. Nanocomposite particles morphology and shape were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Elemental chemical composition was determined using X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRFS). Structural and phase analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction method (XRD). Morphological and structural differences of vermiculite nanocomposites are depending on grow of zinc oxide in interlayer spaces or on surface of vermiculite particles. The nanocomposite particles size was characterized by the d(10) and d(90) diameters, volume-weighted mean diameter (d(43)) and span value. The surface changes were evaluated using zeta-potential measurements as a function of particle electrophoretic mobility (mu). Antibacterial activity was tested on Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterial strains. The samples under antibacterial testing showed identical minimum inhibitory concentration values (MIC) in different effective times.