Co3O4/PANI nanocomposites as a photocatalytic, antibacterial and anticorrosive agent: Experimental and theoretical approach

Abstract The cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the reverse micelle technique. Polyaniline (PANI) conducting polymer was produced by the chemical oxidative technique. Co3O4/PANI nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized by in-situ technique. The Co3O4 NPs, PANI, and Co3O4/PANI NCs were characterized by FT-IR, UV visible, TEM, and X-ray diffraction methods. The average particle size of Co3O4, PANI, and NCs was determined by XRD and TEM techniques and was found to be almost the same. Experimental findings were supported by the theoretical (DFT) study. Antibacterial, anticorrosive, and photocatalytic properties of Co3O4/PANI NCs were investigated. Co3O4/PANI NCs show 82.23% corrosion inhibition efficiency at 1000 mg/ml concentration. The antibacterial activity of Co3O4/PANI NCs was compared with six standard antibiotics for both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The photocatalytic property of Co3O4/PANI NCs was tested against methylene orange dye. Co3O4/PANI NCs (100 mg/ml) degrade 81.25% of methyl orange dye after 3 h of UV light illumination. Zone of Inhibition shown by Co3O4/PANI NCs (1000 mg/ml concentration) for S. epidermis and E. coli bacterial strain was comparable to six standard antibiotics. The synthesized Co3O4/PANI NCs were proved to be a very efficient corrosion inhibitor , antibacterial, and photo-degrading agent.