PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES STUDIES OF MGO ULTRAFINE POWDER PREPARED BY SOL-GEL COMBUSTION METHOD

Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a modified sol–gel combustion method with citric acid as a complexing agent. The structural, morphological, and physicochemical characteristics of the products were examined using FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). XRD patterns confirmed the formation of a cubic MgO phase, with crystallite sizes of 34–39.7 nm. SEM images revealed flake-like morphologies with particle sizes ranging between 43 and 48 nm, while AFM analysis showed surface roughness values consistent with ultrafine nanoscale features. DLS measurements indicated a monodisperse suspension with a PdI of 0.384. The antibacterial activity of the MgO nanoparticles was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using agar well diffusion. The nanoparticles demonstrated noticeable antibacterial properties, producing inhibition zones of 4–5 mm, although lower than those produced by gentamicin. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect decreased with increasing nanoparticle concentration, suggesting a concentration-dependent interaction with bacterial cells. Overall, the study highlights the potential of MgO nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel combustion as promising antimicrobial agents with tunable physicochemical features suitable for biomedical and environmental applications.