Synthesis and characterization of hybrid copper-chitosan nanoantimicrobials by femtosecond laser-ablation in liquids

Ultrafast laser ablation in liquids is an easy, fast and versatile method to generate nanoparticles. Metal nanoparticles have been demonstrated to possess excellent antimicrobial properties thanks to their very high surface area to volume ratios which provide better contact with microorganisms [1]. For this reason, they are attracting growing interest as a base to develop novel nanocomposites preventing biocontamination in several application fields. In particular, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) can be used, under controlled ionic release conditions [2], to inhibit bacteria proliferation in food packaging [3] as well as in other applications in medicine, agriculture or pharmaceuticals. In order to prevent human toxicity, CuNPs need to be carefully embedded into polymer matrices acting as immobilizing component and potentially bringing additional properties to the final nanocomposite [4]. Among the possible dispersing polymers, chitosan (CS) is a well-known antimicrobial material, widely exploited for its biodegradability and nontoxicity [5]. © 2013 IEEE.