The use of polyethyleneimine-modified reduced graphene oxide as a substrate for silver nanoparticles to produce a material with lower cytotoxicity and long-term antibacterial activity

In order to improve the stability and decrease the cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticle (AgNP), a polyethyleneimine-modified reduced graphene oxide (PEI-rGO) was used as the substrate of AgNPs, and a PEI-rGO–AgNP hybrid was prepared by anchoring the AgNPs on the reduced graphene oxide surface. Such a hybrid showed substantially higher antibacterial activity than polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized AgNP, and the AgNPs on PEI-rGO were more stable than the AgNPs on PVP, resulting in long-term antibacterial effects. The hybrid showed excellent water-solubility and lower cytotoxicity, suggesting the great potential application as a sprayable graphene-based antibacterial solution.