Synthesis of ZnO Micro- and Nanoparticles with Controlled Fe Doping for Antibacterial Studies

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a versatile, inexpensive semiconductor material with unique characteristics. ZnO is particularly known for its inhibitory effects on bacterial growth. ZnO can reduce bacterial growth through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, the deterioration of crucial proteins in the bacterial cell, and the release of Zn²⁺ ions that affect bacterial cell function. The exact mechanism behind ZnO’s antibacterial properties remains unclear. We can use the ZnO surface as a platform to investigate the underlying mechanisms of these antibacterial interactions through surface modification. Our research aims to explore this by iron (Fe) doping (up to 10%) into the ZnO lattice. To produce these materials, we used hydrothermal synthesis to incorporate Fe into the ZnO micro- and nanocrystals at various levels of Fe-doping. Prior to antibacterial investigations, we performed a thorough characterization of these materials to observe changes to the ZnO lattice. This was done by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. We demonstrated that the lattice remained preserved at low doping percentages although with certain structural changes, which may influence bacterial interactions.