Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity studies of β‐lactam capped silver nanoparticles.

A highly efficient, novel, two‐phase liquid method using phase transfer catalyst is reported to prepare β‐lactam‐conjugated silver nanoparticles as an approach to improve antibacterial activity of β‐lactams. In the method assisted by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, NaBH4 reduced AgNO3 producing silver NPs that are coated with β‐lactams. The studies conducted provide a generalized method applicable to all types of β‐lactam substrates for capping on silver NPs. The NPs have been characterized by UV–Visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]