Noble Metal Nanoparticles Deposited in Liquids
Keywords:
metal nanostructures, nanoparticles, sputtering, surface properties, structure, antibacterial effectsAbstract
This review summarizes basic information on some characteristics of metallic nanostructures with special emphasis on noble metal nanoparticles, basic information on the development in this field, especially on the size of metal nanostructures and their possible applications. The review is devoted to the techniques of preparation and characterization of Au and Ag nanoparticles (AuNPs, AgNPs) deposited in liquid media. In addition, the antibacterial effects of aqueous solutions of metal nanoparticles on selected bacterial strains (E. coli, S. epidermidis). While AgNP4–6 completely inhibited both bacterial strains after 24 h, AuNPs exhibited pronounced inhibition selectivity regarding the specific nanoparticle size. Regardless of the AuNP size, no growth inhibition of E. coli occurred. In contrast, AuNP4–6 showed the ability to inhibit the growth of S. epidermidis.