This study utilized
a simple hydrothermal technique to prepare
pure BiVO4 and tightly bound BiVO4/multiwalled
carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposite materials. The surfactant
was employed to control the growth, size, and assembly of BiVO4 and the nanocomposite. Various techniques including X-ray
diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), photoluminescence
(PL), Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were
utilized to analyze and characterize BiVO4 and the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite. Through XRD analysis, it was found
that the carbon nanotubes were effectively embedded within the lattice
of BiVO4 without generating any separate impurity phase
and had no influence on the BiVO4 monoclinic structure.
TEM images confirmed the presence of MWCNTs within BiVO4. Furthermore, adding MWCNTs in the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite
resulted in an effective charge transfer transition and improved carrier
separation, as evidenced by PL analysis. The introduction of MWCNTs
also led to a significant reduction in the optical band gap due to
quantum effects. Finally, the antibacterial activity of pure BiVO4 and the BiVO4/MWCNTs nanocomposite was assessed
by exposing Proteus mirabilis and Streptococcus mutans to these materials. Biofilm
inhibition and antibiofilm activity were measured using a crystal
violet assay and a FilmTracer LIVE/DEAD Biofilm Viability Kit. The
results demonstrated that pure BiVO4 and BiVO4/MWCNTs effectively inhibited biofilm formation. In conclusion, both
pure BiVO4 and BiVO4/MWCNTs are promising materials
for inhibiting the bacterial biofilm during bacterial infections.