Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO, Mn3O4, and ZnMn2O4 Spinel by New Chelation-Precipitation Method: Magnetic and Antimicrobial Properties

Abstract

Using a chelation-precipitation method, five samples were synthesized in the presence of chelating agents by altering the proportion of ZnO to Mn3O4. Specifically, Z contains only ZnO, Z3M1 has a 3:1 ratio of ZnO to Mn3O4, ZM has equal parts of both oxides, Z1M3 consists of one part of ZnO to three parts of Mn3O4, and M is pure Mn3O4. The synthesized powders were calcined at 600 °C and 1000 °C. The prepared and calcined powders were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The magnetic and antimicrobial properties of the calcined powders were also investigated. The XRD results showed that powder Z was in the wurtzite phase, and M was Mn3O4 with a pure tetragonal phase after calcination at 1000 °C. ZM was a pure ZnMn2O4 spinel. Z3M1 is formed from spinel and ZnO, and Z1M3 is formed from spinel and Mn3O4. The magnetic nature of the powders varies from diamagnetic to ferromagnetic to paramagnetic. Powders with a higher ZnO ratio exhibited enhanced antibacterial effectiveness against E. coli. The addition of Mn improved the antibacterial efficacy of most powder against C. albicans. Pure ZnO has high antibacterial efficiency against M. lutus. These results demonstrate how the components of these powders affect their crystalline structure, magnetic properties, and antimicrobial efficacy against various microorganisms. These findings may have significant implications for the development of advanced antimicrobial agents with tailored properties for use in medical devices, water treatment systems, or food packaging materials.