Evaluation of the antibacterial effectiveness of novel copper/polypyrrole nanocomposite

Abstract

A novel and effective antibacterial agent based on a combination of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and polypyrrole (PPy) is presented. By using a straightforward in situ polymerization method in water, a copper/polypyrrole (Cu/PPy) nanocomposite with spherical CuNPs, around 25 nm in diameter, uniformly dispersed throughout a granular PPy matrix, was characterized and subjected to determination of antibacterial activity toward E. coli, and S. aureus. In this survey, the synergistic engagement of various features of CuNPs and PPy against bacteria was somewhat expected. After a 24 h interaction with S. aureus, already 2 ppm of Cu/PPy with only 9.45 wt% content of Cu is acting almost completely cidal, with 99.17 % bacterial growth inhibition, while 10 ppm has a cidal value of 99.99 % at the same time. Safe and environmentally acceptable concentrations of Cu/PPy indicate that it is convenient as an antibacterial agent for wider use.