Facile construction of Ag nanoparticles encapsulated into carbon nanotubes with robust antibacterial activity

A facile glucose assisted one-step method for preparing highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) encapsulated into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was developed. The CNTs with open tips are employed as the nano-reactor and support, silver nitrite (AgNO 3 ) is used as the precursor and glucose is employed both as the reducing and protecting agent in the whole preparation process. The Ag-NPs with diameters of 6–10 nm are uniformly assembled into the channel of CNTs. The detailed structure and morphology of Ag-NPs encapsulated into CNTs (Ag-NPs@CNTs) were systematically characterized. The obtained Ag-NPs@CNTs exhibits an enhanced antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli , comparing with those of Ag-NPs supported on activate carbon (Ag-NPs/AC) and on CNTs (Ag-NPs/CNTs) prepared by the traditional wetness impregnation method.