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Synthesis, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of TiO? and Cu-Doped TiO? Nanoparticles Using Chemical and Green Synthesis Methods

Sabale Puja Madhavrao

Department of Physics, Shri Shivaji Science Junior College, Amravati M.S. India-444 602

87-93

Vol: 16, Issue: 1, 2026

Receiving Date: 2026-01-09 Acceptance Date:

2026-01-29

Publication Date:

2026-02-18

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http://doi.org/10.37648/ijrst.v16i01.009

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and copper-doped TiO2 nanomaterials were synthesized and investigated for their structural, morphological, and antibacterial properties. TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared using both a chemical sol-gel route and a green synthesis approach employing Aloe vera leaf extract. Titanium tetra isopropoxide (TTIP) was used as the precursor, while Aloe vera extract acted as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent in the green synthesis process. The synthesized materials were subjected to structural and morphological characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis confirmed the formation of crystalline anatase TiO2, with the characteristic diffraction peak at 2theta = 25.27° corresponding to the (101) plane. The average crystallite size of the pristine TiO2 sample was approximately 41.9 nm. Cu doping resulted in slight changes in diffraction peak intensity, broadening, and peak position while retaining the anatase TiO2 structure. SEM analysis revealed a porous surface morphology, with pore sizes ranging approximately from 0.5 to 3 mu m. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus using the agar disc diffusion method. Pure TiO2 exhibited inhibition zones of 12 mm and 18 mm against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, whereas 25% Cu-doped TiO2 showed significantly enhanced inhibition zones of 24 mm and 31 mm, respectively. These results demonstrate that Cu incorporation substantially improves the antibacterial performance of TiO2 nanoparticles. The synthesized TiO2 and Cu-doped TiO2 nanomaterials therefore show promising potential for antibacterial applications in biomedical, surface-coating, and related antimicrobial technologies.

Keywords: TiO2; Cu; Nanoparticles; XRD; SEM; Antibacterial Activity

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