All over the world,
one of the major challenges is the green synthesis
of potential materials against antimicrobial resistance and viruses.
This study demonstrates a simple method like chemistry lab titration
to synthesize green, facile, scalable, reproducible, and stable synergistic
silver chloride/benzyldimethylhexadecyl-ammonium chloride (AgCl/BAC)
colloidal Nanoantimicrobials (NAMs). Nanocolloidal dispersions of
AgCl in an aqueous medium are prepared by using silver nitrate (AgNO
3
) as precursor and BAC as both sources of chloride and stabilizer,
holding an asymmetric molecular structure. The synthetic approach
is scalable and green. Both the morphology and stability of AgCl/BAC
nanocolloids (NCs) were investigated as a function of different molar
fractions of the reagents. AgCl/BAC NCs were characterized by transmission
electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron and UV–vis
spectroscopies. Zeta potential measurements revealed increasing positive
potential values at every stage of the synthesis. Size distribution
and hydrodynamic diameter of the particles were measured by dynamic
light scattering (DLS), which predicted the formation of BAC layered
structures associated with the AgCl nanoparticles (NPs). Small-angle
X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments verify the thickness of the BAC
bilayer around AgCl. The produced AgCl/BAC NCs probably have synergistic
antimicrobial properties from the AgCl core and the biocide BAC shell.
AgCl/BAC NCs stability over months was investigated. The experimental
evidence supports the morphological stability of the AgCl/BAC NCs,
while higher positive zeta potential values anticipate a long-term
antimicrobial effect: a higher surface charge causes NPs to be potentially
more lethal to bacteria. AgCl/BAC antimicrobial aqueous colloidal
suspensions will be used as additives for the industrial production
of antimicrobial coatings.