A Battle Against Harmful Microbes - Study of Second Generation Dendrimer (G2) Stabilized Co@TiO2 Core-Shell Nanoparticles with Effective Biological Activity

Co@TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized using two different stabilizers, i.e., PVP (Co@TiO2 – A) and second generation (G2) triazolyl chalcone dendrimer (Co@TiO2 – B) by reduction transmetalation method. The structural parameters of the sample were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, and XPS techniques. The crystallite size and the lattice strain of the samples were calculated using the Scherrer formula, and the results were compared with the Size-Strain Plot (SSP). The optical studies show that the sample Co@TiO2 – B has recorded a sharp absorption peak at 336 nm and exhibits a band gap of 3.06 eV, which is 0.28 eV wider than Co@TiO2 – A. Photoluminescence study displays that when G2 acts as a stabilizing agent the peak intensity increases without any peak shift. The biological study against the fungal pathogens reveals the significant role of Co@TiO2 – B against Candida albicans for its strong antifungal activity.