Synthesis of CuO/Epoxy nanocomposites for the preparation of antifungal coating

Objective(s): Antibacterial and antifungal nanocomposites are widely used in food packaging and pharmaceutical and medicine industries. Among the polymers of these nanocomposites, epoxy coatings are commonly used for health and industrial applications. The present study aimed to synthesize CuO nanoparticles using the chemical reduction method and characterized them by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. Materials and Methods: The nanoparticles were synthesized with the mean size of 45 nanometers. Following that, the CuO/epoxy nanocomposite were prepared in three concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% of the CuO nanoparticles. The results of X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the presence of nanoparticles on the nanocomposite surface. In addition, the disc-diffusion method was used to assess the antifungal properties of the nanocomposites. Results: The results of XRD and SEM confirmed the presence of CuO nanoparticles on the nanocomposite surface. The optimal nanocomposite concentration for the maximum antifungal activity was 3%. Conclusion: It seems that the CuO nanoparticles could be used to provide antifungal nanocomposites, which are applicable in medicine and food industries.