Effect of pH on structure and surface charge of Fe$_2$O$_3$ nanoparticles synthesized at different pH conditions and correlation to antibacterial properties

TL;DR

This study investigates how pH during hydrothermal synthesis affects the structure, surface charge, and antibacterial properties of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles, revealing correlations between synthesis conditions and functional performance.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how pH influences nanoparticle structure and surface charge, impacting their antibacterial effectiveness.

Findings

pH alters the crystallinity and surface charge of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles.

Surface charge modifications correlate with antibacterial activity.

Structural changes due to pH affect nanoparticle-bacteria interactions.

Abstract

pH of a solution is the ratio of H+/OH- ions. The relative ratio of these charges may affect forming bonds during a hydrothermal synthesis by influencing electronic clouds of participant ions, which can modify the structure and hence crystallinity, strain, disorder, surface termination etc. These factors may modify physical properties including the surface charge. This work uses hematite nanoparticles to correlate the structural modifications to all these properties and finally to the antibacterial properties due to the surface charge interaction of the nanoparticles and the bacterial cell walls.