Enhancing Dielectric, Ferroelectric and Antibacterial Properties of Siloxene Nanosheets by Wet Chemical Deposition of Flower-like Spherical ZnO Nanosheets

The incorporation of metal oxides onto two-dimensional layered siloxene has emerged as an efficient method to expand possible applications in various fields. However, the interfacial polarization occurring in siloxene nanosheets (SiNSs) and their combination with a metal oxide remains unexplored. In this study, flower-like spherical zinc oxide (ZnO) was successfully deposited onto SiNSs through a straightforward wet chemical precipitation method. Electron microscopy analysis revealed well-crystallized ZnO deposition with an average particle size of 100 nm. Dielectric measurements showcased the remarkable stability of interfacial polarization in ZnO-doped SiNSs (SiNSs@ZnO) across a wide frequency range, along with low electrical dissipation values below 0.1 in the frequency range of 100 Hz-1 MHz. On the other hand, the ferroelectric study of SiNSs@ZnO demonstrated a slim hysteresis loop with a maximum polarization of 0.0554 & mu;C/cm2 and a remnant polarization of 0.00778 & mu;C/cm2. The newly synthesized nanocomposite exhibited a stored energy of 827.51 mJ.cm-3 and a dissipated energy of 343.63 mJ.cm-3, resulting in an energy efficiency of 70.65%. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of SiNSs@ZnO revealed stronger inhibition compared to SiNSs against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This study emphasizes that modifying siloxene layers through the deposition of nanostructured transition metal oxide materials leads to stabilized interfacial polarization, efficient energy storage, and effective bacterial inhibition.