Bioinspired APTES-coated copper oxide nanoparticles with antioxidant, antibacterial, and optoelectronic potential

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have been of exceptional interest due to their biological and chemical properties. This work presents the green synthesis of CuO NPs coated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) using water and ethanol as solvents from Neolamarckia cadamba leaves. APTES was used to modify the surface of the nanoparticles, thereby improving their stability and functionality. Various techniques, such as XRD, spectroscopy, and SEM, confirm the crystallinity, optical properties, morphology, and other properties of NPs. The band gap and Urbach energy of NPs indicate the potential applications of CuO NPs in optoelectronics. Furthermore, the catalytic activity was examined for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. The antibacterial property of NPs has been tested against fourteen bacteria and found to be most effective against Vibrio cholerae, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 64 µg/ml. Antioxidant activity was also tested, showing that the CuO nanoparticles effectively neutralize free radicals. Additionally, the possible mechanism of action of the synthesized APTES-coated NPs was studied through Molecular Docking. Overall, this study presents a green, basic, and effective method for manufacturing surface-modified CuO nanoparticles with promising antibacterial, antioxidant, and catalytic properties, which will facilitate their future development in medical, environmental, and catalytic applications.