Journal of Advanced Materials and Technologies

Journal of Advanced Materials and Technologies

Synthesis and Characterization of Porous Silica Microspheres Capped with CuO: Antibacterial Drug Delivery System

Document Type : Original Reaearch Article

Authors
Alireza Koohikar 1
Maryam Tajabadi 2
1 MSc Student, School of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, School of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
10.30501/jamt.2025.520186.1327
Abstract
Bacterial infections remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide, exacerbated by the overuse of antibiotics, which has driven the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Recent advancements in biocompatible ceramic drug delivery systems aim to enhance antibiotic efficacy against resistant bacteria. This study focuses on the successful coating of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles onto mesoporous silica microspheres and the evaluation of their antibacterial properties. The synthesized CuO@SiO₂ system was characterized using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and antibacterial assays. XRD analysis revealed distinct peaks for CuO@SiO₂ at 36.5°, 39.5°, and 68.2° (2θ), corresponding to the (002), (111), and (202) crystal planes, respectively, with a crystallite size of approximately 17 nm, in contrast to the amorphous silica structure. FESEM images confirmed the spherical morphology, microscale size (~1.2 µm), and porous structure of the samples, while EDS analysis indicated a copper content of 4–13 wt%, with elemental mapping demonstrating uniform copper distribution. Antibacterial testing (colony counting method) exhibited over 99% bacterial inhibition against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus after 24 hours for CuO@SiO₂. Owing to its porous structure and potent antibacterial activity, this microscale drug delivery system shows significant potential as a versatile carrier for various therapeutic agents, enhancing treatment efficacy for infections and wound healing applications.
Keywords
Porous Silica
CuO
Microspheres
Antibacterial
Drug Delivery

Subjects

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Journal of Advanced Materials and Technologies
Volume 14, Issue 1
Spring 2025
Pages 77-88

  • Receive Date 11 May 2025
  • Revise Date 30 June 2025
  • Accept Date 02 August 2025