title: Preparation and characterization of undoped and cobalt doped ZnO for antimicrobial use.
abstract: The objective of this study was to carry out the synthesis by sol-gel method of undoped and cobalt doped ZnO, with different cobalt concentrations (0.5-5mol%), using as stabilizer monoethanolamine (MEA) in a molar ratio ZnO:MEA=1:2. The dry gel was thermally treated at 500°C/5h, respectively at 1100°C/30min. All the thermal treated samples were of wurtzite type with an hexagonal structure. The doping with Co(2+) induced change of lattice parameters and of crystallite size, proving the successful interleaving of Co(2+) into the ZnO lattice. From the morphological point of view, the thermal treatment at 1100°C/30min led to a higher degree of compactness of the ZnO granules. At 500°C/5h there were formed polyhedral or spherical nanometric particles (25-50nm) which have been agglomerated into aggregates with sizes over 1μm. From the biological point of view, the quantitative analyses of antimicrobial activity have shown that the ZnO doped with cobalt has inhibited the ability of the Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli bacterial strains to colonize the inert substrate and therefore, can be used in the design of new antimicrobial strategies.
authors.affiliation: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Angelica Oprea
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Stoica
authors.affiliation: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Ecaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andronescu
authors.affiliation: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristina Daniela
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ghitulica
authors.affiliation: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: getav2001@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Georgeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Voicu
authors.affiliation: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Alexandru Mihai
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grumezescu
authors.affiliation: University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, Department of Microbiology Immunology, Aleea Portocalelor no 1-3, 060101 Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.affiliation: University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, Department of Microbiology Immunology, Aleea Portocalelor no 1-3, 060101 Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 91-95, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Mariana Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chifiriuc
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D013696:Temperature; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003035:Cobalt; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Antimicrobial properties; Monoethanolamine; Sol–gel; Zinc oxide