Enhanced anti-biofilm and biocompatibility of Zn and Mg substituted β-tricalcium phosphate/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube composites towards A. baumannii and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and MG-63 cells.

In this work, Zn and Mg substituted β-tricalcium phosphate/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (f-MWCNT) nanocomposites were prepared by the co-precipitation method. The structural, vibrational, morphological and biological properties of the prepared nanocomposites were studied. The structural study revealed that the increase of Zn concentration shifts the β-tricalcium phosphate planes towards higher angle. Morphological analysis confirmed the formation of hexagonal-shaped particles after substitution of Zn. The particle size of the nanoparticles decreased with the increase of Zn concentration. XPS analysis clearly showed the presence of Zn, Mg, P, Ca, O and C. The Zn (5%) rich nanocomposites have better antibiofilm activity compared to 2% of zinc substituted composite. Also, it has been proven that the prepared nanocomposites have the ability to enhance the bioactivity of commercial antibiotics by means of a decrease in drug resistance. Finally, this study acted as a pioneer to improve drug efficiency and reduced the biofilm formation of certain medically important bacteria. The in-vitro cell viability and anti-biofilm results of zinc (5%) rich nanocomposite confirmed that prepared nanocomposite has biocompatible and enhanced anti-biofilm property, which will be beneficial candidate for biomedical applications.