Synthesis of star-shaped CuO nanoparticles supported on magnetic functionalized graphene: Catalytic and antibacterial activity

In this study, graphene oxide was modified during consecutive functionalization steps with 1,4-diphenylamine, cyanuric chloride, and ethylenediamine. Then, star-shaped CuO nanoparticles were synthesized on modified graphene oxide using the seed-mediated growth method in which nucleation, growth stages, and reduction of graphene oxide to graphene occurred simultaneously. After ensuring successful synthesis of CuO nanoparticles and to facilitate recycling, a magnetization process was utilized by adding iron oxide nanoparticles. This nanocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The prepared heterogeneous catalyst was investigated for the reduction of organic dyes in the presence of NaBH₄ as a reducing reagent. The kinetic data obtained for the reduction of methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), and rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) were fitted to first-order rate equations, and the calculated rate constants for the reduction of MO, MB, 4-NP and Rh6G were as follows: −0.091, −0.071, −0.045, and 0.040, respectively. As star-shaped CuO nanoparticles showed a higher antibacterial effect compared to spherical-shaped CuO nanoparticles, the antibacterial activity of star-shaped CuO nanoparticles immobilized on magnetic functionalized graphene was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria through an agar well diffusion assay and demonstrated more antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria.