Visible light-active copper-based antimicrobial photo catalyst with rapid killing rate of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

The persistence of disease-causing microorganisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, gives rise to health-related concerns. Bacterial growth on surfaces plays a role in disease transmission and the subsequent risk of secondary contamination. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of Cu₂O was enhanced through the fabrication of Cu₂O/TiO₂ (CT) and Cu₂O/ZnO (CZ) nanocomposites. These Cu₂O nanocomposites were synthesized via solvothermal method. This resulted in heightened antibacterial efficacy. Visible light photo catalysts are important for a range of applications, including environmental remediation and organic synthesis, because they may use visible or solar light to stimulate reactions. The heterojunction design and semiconducting material composition were investigated, to improve visible light absorption and prevent charge carrier recombination. The integration of semiconductors into heterojunctions, exemplified by CT and CZ, significantly improved photocatalytic performance. Characterization techniques, including XRD, UV–VIS, and TEM, played a vital role in comprehending material attributes and mechanisms involved in deactivating microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method were used to explore the antimicrobial properties of CZ and CT, in addition to control samples of cuprous oxide (Cu₂O), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and zinc oxide (ZnO). Notably, CT exhibited the highest antimicrobial effectiveness, achieving complete disinfection of both E. coli and S. aureus within 20 min. These results underscore the potential of copper (II) oxide composite photo catalyst for efficient bacterial disinfection.