Ultrasonic Synthesis of Ag@CNT-Based Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) for Enhanced Synergetic Antimicrobial Activity Against Staphylococcus aureus

Significant emphasis has been directed towards the advancement of antimicrobial agents with the objective of mitigating and managing the transmission of infectious diseases. Silver nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotube (Ag@CNT)-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a promising nanomaterial endowed with significant antibacterial efficacy and hold potential for diverse medical applications, especially mitigating the proliferation of infectious microbes. In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were conjugated onto the exterior side wall of functionalized carbon nanotubes (F-CNT) employing the one-step ultrasonication technique at 37°C for a duration of 6 h. Colloidal AgNPs were loaded onto the side wall of the F-CNT for the fabrication of Ag@CNT MOF. Fabricated Ag@CNT MOF nanocomposites were subjected to comprehensive characterization employing cutting-edge analytical methods, including UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and XRD. The antimicrobial efficacy of Ag@CNT MOF nanocomposites was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus by using well diffusion and microbroth dilution methods. The synthesized Ag@CNT MOF demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial activity against S. aureus bacteria. In our in vitro investigations, we observed significant inhibition zones with diameters of 43 mm  ± 0.9 mm and 50 mm ±  0.4 mm at concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL and 1.0 mg/mL using the well diffusion technique. Additionally, there was a 78% decrease in bacterial growth of S. aureus when exposed to 128 µg/mL concentration of Ag@CNT.