Ag-decorated 2D CuO nanoflakes: a dual-functional material for solar-driven photocatalysis and antimicrobial applications

Developing effective strategies to reduce and prevent water pollution due to excessive contamination by harmful pollutants is crucial. Consequently, there is a requirement to design new catalyst materials to enhance the efficiency of the oxidation processes for the wastewater management plant, ensuring the mineralization of trace organic pollutants. Here, we wisely modified the surfaces along with the morphology of copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures with silver (Ag) nanoparticles (~12-20 nm), a variety of Ag-decorated (~7-16%) CuO two-dimensional (2D) nanoflakes (length ~400 nm and width ~70 nm) with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial properties, that can provide sustainable solutions to present environmental remediation. Its photocatalytic efficiency, via degrading the toxic methylene blue dye effluent contamination, reaches 95% under sunlight. Furthermore, their antibacterial properties allow them to withstand Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis bacteria and exhibit superior antibacterial activity with large inhibition zone sizes (>10 mm), compared to their pristine (CuO) counterparts. Hence, we suggest that Ag-decorated CuO 2D nanoflakes possess promising potential for large-scale application in photocatalytic wastewater purification and bacterial disinfection under sunlight.&#xD.