This study exploits the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) with diverse morphologies as catalysts and antibacterial agent. Spherical ZnO-NPs, rod-shaped ZnO-NPs and flower-shaped ZnO-NPs were prepared by microemulsion method, solvent heat method and hydrothermal method,
respectively. The structural characterizations of samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. XRD results revealed the formation of spherical ZnO-NPs, rod-shaped ZnO-NPs and flower-shaped ZnO-NPs were all wurtzite crystal structure.
SEM results showed that spherical ZnO-NPs had an average particle size of 30–40 nm, rod-shaped ZnO-NPs were about 500 nm long and 100 nm wide with obvious hexagonal crystals. Flower-shaped ZnO-NPs had a three-dimensional appearance with obvious petals. Results of electrochemical HER
(Hydrogen evolution reaction) experiments revealed that spherical ZnO-NPs exhibited the highest electrocatalytic activity at the lowest potential voltage due to their largest specific surface area. The antibacterial property of ZnO-NPs samples were studied by the optical density method and
disc diffusion method. All samples had antibacterial effects against E. coli. and flower-shaped ZnO-NPs showed the best antibacterial activity due to the largest surface area in comparison with spherical ZnO-NPs and rod-shaped ZnO-NPs, which promised the maximum Zn2+ release
as bactericide mechanism that registered in the case of different ZnO-NPs morphologies.
Influence of zinc oxide nanoparticles on differentiation and cytokine secretion of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC)