Antibacterial effect, structural characterization, and some applications of silver chiral nano-flower sculptured thin films

Silver chiral nano-flowers with 3-, 4-, and5-fold symmetry were produced using oblique angledeposition method in conjunction with the rotation ofsample holder with different speeds at different sectors ofeach revolution. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy,and scanning electron microscopy were employed toobtain the nanostructure and morphology of the films.Their antibacterial, electrical, and hydrophobic propertieswere investigated. Antibacterial properties were investigatedagainst a range of microorganisms includingEscherichia coli ATCC 8739, Staphylococcus aureusATCC 25923, and Candida albicans PTCC 5027. Electricalconductivity of these films relative to that of bulksample is reduced by a factor of about 103 due to porosity,surface roughness, and anisotropic structure of these films.Hydrophobicity results show dependence on the symmetryof these chiral nano-flowers.