Photocatalytic and antibacterial activities study of prepared self-cleaning nanostructure surfaces using synthesized and coated ZnO nanoparticles with Curcumin nanodispersion

Zinc oxide nanoparticles had been synthesized and encapsulated using Curcumin nanoemulsions, Zn(Cur)O NPs, under subcritical water conditions. The effects of temperature (120, 140 and 160 °C) and pH values of the reaction solution (4, 7 and 10) on the particle size, grain size, cristallinity, specific surface area, band gap, Urbach energy, morphology, photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties of the prepared Zn(Cur)O NPs were evaluated using XRD, FT-IR, SEM, EDX and UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis. The obtained results indicate that the prepared spherical and rod shapes Zn(Cur)O NPs had a crystallite size distribution of 10–100 nm. Furthermore, the results reveal that most uniform Zn(Cur)O NPs with highest photocatalytic activity, quantum yield (0.161 mol·m −2 s −1 ), specific surface area (242 m 2 /g), minimum band gap (2.62 eV) and Urbach energy (0.125 meV) were formed at 160 °C and natural pH. The highest antibacterial activities against both Gram positive and negative bacteria strains, were achieved using the synthesized Zn(Cur)O at 160 °C and basic pH(10).