Synthesis and antibacterial property of hollow SiO2/Ag nanocomposite spheres.

This paper presents a novel and facile method to fabricate hollow silica/sliver (SiO(2)/Ag) nanocomposite spheres. In this approach, the monodisperse hollow SiO(2) colloids bearing quantenary ammonium groups were prepared by dispersion polymerization combined sol-gel process and used as templates. The Ag(+) ions were first adsorbed onto the surfaces of the hollow SiO(2) beads via electrostatic interaction and then in situ reduced by the deprotonated silanol groups of the hollow SiO(2) beads, no extra reducing agents or catalysts were added during the reduction process. TEM, SEM and EDX analyses indicated that Ag nanoparticles were successfully deposited onto the surfaces of hollow SiO(2) beads. Some influencing parameters, such as the amount of quantenary ammonium groups in the inner wall of hollow SiO(2) colloids, Ag(+) ions concentration and reaction temperature, on the deposition of Ag nanoparticles onto SiO(2) colloids were investigated. Preliminary antibacterial tests indicated that these hollow nanocomposite spheres showed excellent antibacterial ability.