Antibacterial activity investigation of CuBDC loaded silk fibers

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous, hybrid materials comprising metal ions linked by organic binding ligands. Infinitely extended metal–ligand networks with metal nodes and bridging organic ligands are called coordination polymers or metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs consist of metal atoms or metal clusters as nodes, which are linked through organic ligands (linkers)[1]. Since in the last years the antibiotic therapy has become a public health problem[2], we decided to work on a nanostructure which relates to this matter. Antimicrobial agents are capable of destroying pathogenic microorganisms and are used to sterilize water and preserve food, as well as in the form of drugs[3]. Metal-organic frameworks could be a good option because of the diversity of their applications which antibacterial property is one of them[1]. This work is concentrated on the antibacterial property of CuBDC MOF. A good substrate for CuBDC is silk fibers. First silk fibers were activated in NaOH. In a separate experiment 1, 4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) and ????3 were solved in DMF and silk fibers were immersed in resulting solution with reflux condition. After 24 hours the CuBDC loaded silk fibers with blue color were separated and washed with DMF. Then the fabric sample was dried at room temperature. Different analysis such as IR, XRD and SEM confirmed the formation of CuBDC on the silk fibers. Finally antibacterial activity of fabric sample was investigated against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacterium) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacterium).