Characterisation of the Chemical Composition and Structural Features of Novel Antimicrobial Nanoparticles

Three antimicrobial nanoparticle types (AMNP0, AMNP1, and AMNP2) produced using the Tesima(TM) thermal plasma technology were investigated and their compositions were determined using a combination of analytical methods. Scanning electron micrographs provided the morphology of these particles with observed sizes ranging from 10 to 50 nm, whilst FTIR spectra confirmed the absence of polar bonds and organic impurities, and strong Raman active vibrational bands at ca. 1604 and 1311 cm(−1) ascribed to C–C vibrational motions were observed. Carbon signals that resonated at δ(C) 126 ppm in the solid state NMR spectra confirmed that sp(2) hybridised carbons were present in high concentration in two of the nanoparticle types (AMNP1 and AMNP2). X-ray powder diffraction suggested that AMNP0 contains single phase Tungsten carbide (WC) in a high state of purity and multiple phases of WC/WC(1-x) were identified in both AMNP1 and AMNP2. Finally, X-ray photoelectron spectral (XPS) analyses revealed and quantified the elemental ratios in these composite formulations.