Optimisation of preparation conditions for Ti nanowires and suitability as an antibacterial material

Ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanowires were synthesised using a hydrothermal method with different volumes of ethylene glycol (EG) and annealing temperatures. It shows that sodium titanate nanowires synthesised using 5 and 10 ml EG, which annealed at 400°C produced TiO₂ nanowires that correspond to a photochemically active phase, which is anatase. The influences of annealing temperatures (400–600°C) on the morphological arrangement of TiO₂ nanowires were evident in the field emission scanning electron microscopy. The annealing temperature of 500°C led to agglomeration, which formed a mixture of TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanowires. High thermal stability of TiO₂ nanowires revealed by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum showed the presence of the Ti–O–Ti vibrations as evidenced due to TiO₂ lattices. An antibacterial study using TiO₂ nanowires toward Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed large zones of inhibition that indicated susceptibility of the microbe toward TiO₂. Growth kinetic analysis shows that addition of TiO₂ has reduced optical density (OD) suggesting an inhibition of the growth of bacteria. These results indicate TiO₂ nanowires can be effectively used as an antimicrobial agent against gram‐bacteria. The TiO₂ nanowires could be exploited in the medical, packaging and detergent formulation industries and wastewater treatment.Inspec keywords: nanowires, titanium compounds, antibacterial activity, nanomedicine, semiconductor materials, semiconductor growth, nanofabrication, annealing, liquid phase deposition, field emission scanning electron microscopy, nanoparticles, thermal stability, thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra, microorganismsOther keywords: optimisation, preparation conditions, antibacterial material, ultrafine titanium dioxide nanowires, hydrothermal method, ethylene glycol, annealing temperatures, sodium titanate nanowires, photochemically active phase, anatase, morphological arrangement, field emission scanning electron microscopy, agglomeration, nanoparticles, thermal stability, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrations, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, microbe, growth kinetic analysis, optical density, incubation time, bacterial survivability, colony‐forming units, antimicrobial agent, Gram negative bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, temperature 400 degC to 600 degC, TiO₂