Ag nanoparticles supported on phosphate-layered double hydroxide: A sustainable catalyst for p-nitrophenol reduction and antimicrobial performance

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles were effectively supported on phosphorylated layered double hydroxide (Phos-LDH) using a simple and efficient synthesis approach. The resulting AgNPs/Phos-LDH composite was thoroughly characterized using spectroscopic, structural, morphological, and textural techniques to investigate its physicochemical properties and confirm the successful formation of the AgNPs/Phos-LDH nanocomposite. This latter exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the reduction reaction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol, achieving a high conversion rate up to 95 % in a short reaction time (6 min). This efficient transformation highlights the catalyst's strong potential for environmental remediation. In addition to their catalytic properties, all samples were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial performance was assessed using four bacterial species and four fungal strains. The AgNPs/Phos-LDH composite exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficacy, as reflected by its lowest minimum inhibitory concentration values, demonstrating MIC as low as 2.6 mg/mL and 6.6 mg/mL for antibacterial and antifungal activities, respectively. The synergistic effect between phosphorylated MgAl-LDH and silver nanoparticles contributed to the enhanced antimicrobial performance. These results reveal the strong antimicrobial activity of the AgNPs/Phos-LDH nanocomposite against a potentially wide range of pathogens, underscoring its promise as an effective antimicrobial agent.