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. 2024 Jan 4;16(1):e51678.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.51678. eCollection 2024 Jan.

Facile Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoneedle Arrays for Practical Biomedical Applications

Veerappan Pradeep  1 , Pitchaimani Veerakumar  1 , Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan  1
Affiliations

Facile Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoneedle Arrays for Practical Biomedical Applications

Veerappan Pradeep et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Introduction: Copper oxide nanoneedle arrays (CuO NAs) have been widely used as antibacterial agents and in therapeutic applications because of their unique physicochemical features, low cytotoxicity, low cost, exceptional antibacterial action, and significant interest in biomedicine. Various analytical techniques were used to assess the related phase constitution, optical characteristics, elemental content, and surface morphology. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs revealed that the CuO NAs had a monoclinic phase with a nanoneedle-like shape. Our findings may cover the progress of innovative and effective anti-bacterial capabilities based on CuO NAs, which have been shown to be effective against various pathogens, making them ideal options for fighting bacterial infections. Objective: This research aimed to synthesize CuO NAs using microwave-solvothermal (MW-ST) technology, explore their effectiveness, and assess their biological activity.

Methods: The CuO NAs were synthesized using the MW-ST process, and their properties were assessed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive analysis (EDS), field emission transmission microscopy (FE-TEM), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) techniques. The biocompatibility of CuO NAs was determined through hemolytic assays, and their bioactivities like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays were also determined.

Results: The CuO NAs were successfully developed, and various analytical tools were used to characterize and validate their morphology, size, crystallinity, and elemental compositions. It has been shown in in-vitro investigations that a strong anti-inflammatory impact is demonstrated by the inhibition of protein denaturation with low hemolytic potential. As a result, CuO NAs have the potential to be an excellent choice for anti-inflammatory solicitations.

Conclusion: CuO NAs were synthesized and characterized with various advanced techniques, revealing the formation of nanoneedles-like morphology. Based on the experimental findings, CuO NAs have the potential for anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemolytic activities. However, additional in-vivo testing is essential to properly evaluate their efficiency and safety.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory; anti-oxidant; medicine; nanotechnology; public health care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The preparation of copper oxide nanoarrays by the microwave-solvothermal process.
PVP: Polyvinylpyrrolidone; MW: Microwave; EG: Ethylene glycol; NaOH: Sodium hydroxide
Figure 2
Figure 2. (a) X-ray diffraction pattern (# and * represents the metallic Cu and indium-tin oxide (ITO) peaks, respectively), (b) Fourier transform infrared spectrum, and (c) Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum of the copper oxide nanoneedles.
JCPDS: Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards
Figure 3
Figure 3. (a-c) Field emission scanning electron microscope images and (d) Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectrum of the copper oxide nanoneedles.
Figure 4
Figure 4. (a,b) Field emission transmission electron microscope images and (c) Selected area electron diffraction pattern of copper oxide nanoneedles.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Antimicrobial activity of copper oxide nanoneedles against various pathogens: Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Candida albicans (C. albicans).
Figure 6
Figure 6. The antioxidant property of copper oxide nanoneedles using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging potential with different concentrations (n = 3). The experiment was performed in triplicates and values are expressed in mean ± SD.
*Values are statistically significant from the group incubated (P < 0.05).
Figure 7
Figure 7. Anti-inflammatory activity of copper oxide nanoneedles. The experiment was performed in triplicates and values are expressed in mean ± SD.
*Values are statistically significant between different concentrations (P < 0.05).
Figure 8
Figure 8. Hemolytic activity of copper oxide nanoneedles. The experiment was performed in triplicates and it was expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD).
*Values are statistically significant compared to the control group (P<0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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