Rational Design and Synthesis of Ag−Cu₂O Nanocomposites for SERS Detection, Catalysis, and Antibacterial Applications

Abstract

With the growing desire to incorporate enhanced properties and multiple functions into a single nanostructured system, research on nanocomposites has intensified in recent years. Several material combinations have already been studied, giving rise to a rich library of hybrid nanomaterials. In this Minireview, attention is directed toward Ag−Cu2O nanocomposites, which integrate the strong plasmonic features of metallic Ag and the semiconducting properties of Cu2O. There are numerous ways by which these two materials can be arranged in a nanocomposite, leading to diverse types of hybrid configurations (e. g. core–shell, core–satellite, yolk–shell, Janus). The synthetic protocols that have been used in fabricating these different hybrid structures are amply discussed in this paper. Also described are the remarkable properties that arise from the union of Ag and Cu2O, and how these properties can be utilized in the fields of sensing, catalysis, and antibacterial treatment. Lastly, knowledge gaps and future directions are identified in the concluding section.

Structural design and antibacterial properties of porous SiO 2 /ZnO /Cu 2 O composites

“…The electronegative phospholipids and other groups will generate electrostatic attraction between the composite material to produce contact. These positively charged nano ZnO /Cu 2 O groups will attack the bacterial cell membrane, thus destroying the membrane structure to achieve the purpose of sterilization [35][36][37][38][39].…”

Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Uniquely Designed Au−Cu2O Nanocomposites for Effective Catalytic Degradation of Azo Dyes

“…Semiconducting metal oxides are an important class of materials and have been often paired with noble metals [10–13] . Cu 2 O is one of the most highly attractive for practical usage as it consists of inexpensive, earth‐abundant, and nontoxic elemental components.…”

“…Semiconducting metal oxides are an important class of materials and have been often paired with noble metals. [10][11][12][13] Cu 2 O is one of the most highly attractive for practical usage as it consists of inexpensive, earth-abundant, and nontoxic elemental components. Over the years, Cu 2 O nanostructures of various morphologies have been created and studied for their potential as catalysts, sensors, and antibacterial agents.…”

Plasmonic Ag@Cu2O core–shell nanostructures exhibiting near-infrared photothermal effect

“…13,14 Ag@Cu 2 O hetero-nanostructures offer a versatile platform for combining the unique properties of silver and Cu 2 O nanomaterials. 15 Silver nanoparticles (NPs) possess stronger plasmon resonances compared to other noble metals 16 and can act as more efficient light absorbents, capturing photons and transferring the energy to the semiconductor matrix, which is particularly useful for their applications in solar cells and solar fuel devices to enhance light absorption and improve overall device performance. 17 Also, the photogenerated electrons from Cu 2 O can transfer to the Ag NPs due to their lower Fermi level, overcoming a Schottky barrier until equilibrium is reached and preventing the recombination of opposite charges.…”