Facile preparation of Fe3O4/Ag/RGO reusable ternary nanocomposite and its versatile application as catalyst and antibacterial agent

In this paper, Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO reusable ternary nanocomposites are explored via a facile one-pot solvothermal strategies, and the catalytic performance and antibacterial activity are investigated in detail. The catalytic performance of Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO towards the reduction of 4-NP into 4-AP is evaluated, and the reaction rate constant ( k ) for Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO is calculated to be 0.03086 s −1 , which is higher than that of Fe 3 O 4 /Ag (0.01756 s −1 ), indicating the catalytic activity is improved after decorating Fe 3 O 4 /Ag onto the graphene sheet. The antibacterial experiment shows Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO ternary nanocomposites present a wide range of antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria ( S. aureus and B. cereus ) and Gram-negative bacteria ( E. coli and P. aeruginosa ). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO nanocomposites against four bacterial species are determined. Additionally, Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO nanocomposites also present high reusability as catalyst and antibacterial agent. The results illustrated in this paper imply that the multifunctional performances such as efficient reduction of 4-NP followed by superior anti-reproduction of pathogenic bacteria make the Fe 3 O 4 /Ag/RGO ternary nanocomposites a promising catalyst for dye-polluted water and disinfectant agent for wastewater treatment and purification.