An environmentally friendly nanocomposite polypyrrole@silver/reduced graphene oxide with high catalytic activity for bacteria and antibiotics

In this study, PPy@Ag/rGO nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via the one-pot hydrothermal method using graphene oxide, pyrrole monomer and silver nitrate. The structures and morphologies of as-obtained PPy@Ag/rGO ternary nanocomposites were systematically investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was found that the PPy@Ag NPs were well distributed on the reduction graphene oxide nanoflakes. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) demonstrated that the PPy@Ag/rGO had enhanced antimicrobial efficiency with Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria compared with that at the same concentration of silver. From liquid antibacterial cycle experiments, the addition of polypyrrole contributes to the stability of nanosilver and reducing the loss of nanosilver. After several cycles, the antibacterial rate of PPy@Ag/rGO nanomaterials can still be maintained above 90%. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light displayed that the composite had good photocatalytic activity and catalytic stability.