Green Preparation, Characterization, and Antibacterial Properties of Nano-Sized Copper(I) Oxide Particles

doi:10.16553/j.cnki.issn1000-985x.2025.0237

Abstract

Abstract: This study developed a green method for preparing cuprous oxide （Cu₂O） nanoparticles using extracts from the stems and leaves of Dipsacus asper wall. The optical properties， microstructure， and phase composition of the prepared samples were characterized by analytical techniques such as UV-Vis， Raman， XRD， TEM， SEM， EDX， and XPS， and their antibacterial activity was also tested. The results show that the Cu₂O nanoparticles prepared using Dipsacus asper wall stem and leaf extracts as the reducing agent are cubic system with space group of Pn3m， exhibiting good crystallinity and high purity. Their microscopic morphology reveals a unique three-dimensional “cauliflower-like” structure， with an atomic ratio of Cu to O approximately 2.12∶1 in elemental composition. UV-Vis spectrum shows the characteristic surface plasmon resonance （SPR） absorption peak of Cu₂O at 565 nm. Antibacterial tests indicate that the Cu₂O nanoparticles exhibit significant inhibitory effects against escherichia coli， staphylococcus aureus， bacillus subtilis， and pseudomonas aeruginosa， with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1.000， 0.125， 0.125， and 0.250 mg/mL， respectively. The study not only provides a novel and eco-friendly strategy for the preparation of Cu₂O nanomaterials but also demonstrates their potential applications in the field of antibacterial treatment.

Key words: Dipsacus asper wall stems and leaf; copper （Ⅰ） oxide; nanoparticle; antibacterial activity; green preparation

CLC Number:

TB383

KANG Jianqing, ZHOU Mengjiao, WANG Hongyu, YU Shanhong, KANG Ming, LIANG Xiaofeng. Green Preparation, Characterization, and Antibacterial Properties of Nano-Sized Copper(I) Oxide Particles[J]. Journal of Synthetic Crystals, 2026, 55(4): 642-651.

Figures/Tables 13

Fig.1 Flowchart the preparation of Cu2O NPs

Fig.2 UV-Vis spectra of extract （a） and Cu2O NPs （b）

Fig.3 XRD pattern of Cu2O NPs

Fig.4 SEM image （a）， particle size distribution （b）， and EDX and elemental composition （c） of Cu2O NPs

Fig.5 Raman spectrum of Cu2O NPs

Fig.6 TEM images of Cu2O NPs. （a），（b） TEM images of Cu2O NPs at different magnifications；（c） HRTEM image of Cu2O NPs；（d） selected area electron diffraction pattern of Cu2O NPs

Fig.7 XPS of Cu2O NPs

Fig.8 HPLC chromatograms of extract

Fig.9 Potential formation mechanism of Cu2O NPs

Fig.10 Geometrically optimized structures of CGA （a）， Cu2O （b）， and CGA-Cu2O （c）， and ESP analysis maps of CGA （d）， Cu2O （e）， and CGA-Cu2O（f）

Fig.11 Bacteriostatic effects of Cu2O NPs， Cefixime， and Ciprofloxacin （0： sterile saline solution； 1： Cefixime； 2： Ciprofloxacin）

Table 1 Inhibition zone diameter

Microbial strain	Inhibition zone diameter/mm
Microbial strain	Cu₂O NPs	Cefixime	Ciprofloxacin
E.coli	14±0.5	26	41
S. aureus	19±0.5	15	31
B. subtilis	20±1	15	34
P. aeruginosa	15±1	—	37

Table 2 MIC and MBC of Cu2O NPs

Microbial strain	MIC/（mg·mL^-1）	MBC/（mg·mL^-1）
E.coli	1.000	1
S. aureus	0.125	1
B. subtilis	0.125	1
P. aeruginosa	0.250	1

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