Fabricating Ag@MOF-5 nanoplates by the template of MOF-5 and evaluating its antibacterial activity

MOF-5 was prepared by hydrothermal method and Ag@MOF-5 nanoplates were obtained to improve the antibacterial activity and dispersion of Ag nanoparticles . MOF-5 and Ag@MOF-5 were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope and energy spectrum (HR-TEM&EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectrum (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). MOF-5 was flaky crystals accumulated and complexed to form cube-like crystalline particles with the size of 20–50 micrometers, and it was destroyed in the process of loading nano-silver particles. Ag@MOF-5 nanoplates were nanoscale sheets, and 3–5 nm Ag nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and loaded on nanoplates of MOF-5. The content of silver nanoparticles reached 13 wt% of Ag@MOF-5 total weight. The results of antibacterial experiment indicated that antibacterial ability of MOF-5 was limited, while Ag@MOF-5 showed good antibacterial ability to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.