Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial analysis of polyaniline/Au–Pd nanocomposite

Colloids of Au and Au–Pd were synthesized by chemical reduction method using stabilizing and reducing agents. Pristine polyaniline, polyaniline/Au nanocomposite and polyaniline/Au–Pd nanocomposite were synthesized by chemical method using Au and Au–Pd colloidal solutions with ammonium persulphate as an oxidizing agent. Metal colloidal solutions, pristine polyaniline and its composites were characterized using UV–vis, XRD, FT-IR, HR-SEM and HR-TEM with EDAX techniques. Colloidal metal solutions, pristine polyaniline, polyaniline/Au nanocomposite and polyaniline/Au–Pd nanocomposite were tested for antibacterial activity and found to exhibit the antibacterial activity against gram positive as well as gram negative bacterial strains at micromolar concentration. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. This is the first report on the chemical synthesis of polyaniline/Au–Pd nanocomposite that exhibited interesting antibacterial activity at micromolar concentration levels.