Antibacterial activity of chitosan coated Ag-loaded nano-SiO2 composites

A crosslinked chitosan (CCTS) coated Ag-loading nano-SiO2 composite (CCTS–SLS) was prepared. The structures of CCTS–SLS were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The antibacterial properties of CCTS–SLS were measured as the minimal inhibitory concentration and the rate of bacterial growth. The experimental results indicate that the antibacterial activity of CCTS–SLS was affected by the mass ratio of SLS to chitosan, acetic acid concentration and crosslinking time. Moreover, CCTS–SLS exhibited high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as a result of the coordinated action of CCTS and SLS.