Synthesis and investigation of the structure and properties of photoactive ZnO–SnO$_2$–Ag(AgCl) nanomaterials for medicine and environmental applications

Photoactive ZnO–SnO$_2$–Ag(AgCl) nanomaterials have been prepared by polymer-salt method. Prepared materials able to generate singlet oxygen under UV and blue light irradiation. Materials structure and properties have been studied by optical and luminescence spectroscopy, XRD and SEM analysis. It was found that the structure of ZnO–SnO$_2$–Ag(AgCl) materials consists of hexagonal ZnO, tetragonal SnO$_2$, Ag and AgCl crystals having size 50–60 nm. Obtained materials able to generate chemically active singlet oxygen under UV irradiation and have high bactericidal properties against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The increase of Ag content enhances the bactericidal properties of prepared materials.