Green synthesis of silver nanostructures with amino acid-modified Pluronic F127 for antibacterial applications

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of amino acid-functionalized Pluronic F127 derivatives in the synthesis of silver nanostructures (SNS), such as nanoparticles (SNP) and nanoclusters (SNC). Herein, glycine, Lalanine, and DL-alanine were used to functionalize poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) end groups from the polymer chain via an esterification pathway. The esterified polymers were used for reducing and stabilizing SNS by a hydrothermal or a photo-assisted route (using a UVA light). The functionalized polymers were characterized by FTIR and the obtained SNS were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy and TEM, which showed that the SNS obtained by the hydrothermal route are predominantly spherical, whereas those obtained by photo-assisted method give rise to rods and prisms. Kinetic studies showed that alanine and glycine form particles with different rates and that the different enantiomers (L and DL) influence the size and shape of SNS. The nanoparticles obtained by the two routes had their antibacterial efficiency tested against S. aureus by the Agar well diffusion method.