Effect of Exchangeable Ions in Natural and Modified Zeolites on Ag Content, Ag Nanoparticle Formation and Their Antibacterial Activity.

To broaden the application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are well-known antibacterial agents, they are supported on different substrates to prevent aggregation, increase their surface area and antibacterial efficiency, and to be separated from the system more effectively at the end of treatment. To produce nanocomposites that consist of silver nanoparticles on natural and modified zeolites, silver ions (Ag) were loaded onto zeolite (natural, Na-modified, H-modified) and then thermally reduced to AgNPs. The effect of the exchangeable cations in zeolite on Ag uptake, AgNPs formation, size and morphology was investigated by the TEM, SEM, EDX, XPS, UV-vis, XRD and BET methods.