Synthesis and antibacterial potential of hybrid nanocomposites based on polyorthochloroaniline/copper nanofiller

Hybrid materials based on polyaniline derivative and metal nanofiller were reported for potential antibacterial applications. Polyorthochloroaniline/copper nanocomposites (POC/Cu NCs) were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of orthochloroaniline using ammonium persulfate as oxidant, in the presence of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylamine. CuNPs were prepared through reduction of copper chloride by using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. The composition, structure, and morphology of CuNPs, POC, and their composites were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X‐ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopic techniques. The antibacterial potential of nanocomposites against gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) for various loads of copper nanofiller was evaluated using viable cell counts. The outcomes showed that nanocomposites have better antimicrobial efficacy than POC under the similar testing conditions. The mechanism of the synergistic antimicrobial effect of POC/Cu NCs was also proposed. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4524–4531, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers