A Novel Approach to Enhance Anti-fungal Properties via Formation of Needle and Blade–like Microstructures Composed of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and C-dots

A Novel Approach to Enhance Anti-fungal Properties via Formation of Needle and Blade–like Microstructures Composed of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and C-dots | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article A Novel Approach to Enhance Anti-fungal Properties via Formation of Needle and Blade–like Microstructures Composed of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and C-dots Satya Pal Singh, Himanshi Yadav, Himanshi Chauhan, Vivek Hada, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5710132/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 15 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In this study, we synthesized MgO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and carbon nanodots using green routes. We used the crystal violet bioassay method to evaluate the antifungal properties of MgO, ZnO NPs, and Cdots against Candida albicans on 2, 5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole coated microtiter plates. We examined the intricate mechanisms that govern their efficacy and provided insights into their potential therapeutic applications against microbial infections. This study elucidates the structural and functional properties of inorganic metal oxide NPs and organic carbon nanodots by employing various characterization methods such as FTIR, SEM, DLS, XRD, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, Optical Microscopy, EDS, and Zeta potential measurements. The microtiter plates were first coated with 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) dissolved in methanol (1 g/mL), and then dried and coated with NPs and C-dots using their suspensions in deionized water at three different concentrations. The evolution of spinodal wave-like structures, as reported in our case of evaporating thin films, appears to leave behind spiky and periodic wavy blades and needle-like nano-microstructures composed of NPs and Cdots. We report the formation of atomistic sharp needle-shaped and saw-like nano-microstructures, which play a significant role in producing and enhancing the anti-fungal surface properties of Candida albicans fungi with sizes in the range of 5 µ -8 µ. SEM images confirmed the formation of lotus-like structures and sharp blades, needles, and saw-like microstructures composed of nanoparticles. This concept may offer a new pathway that can be further extended to diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare applications. Physical sciences/Materials science Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology Physical sciences/Physics Biological sciences/Biophysics Biological sciences/Biophysics/Nanoscale biophysics Salvia Hispanica Dahlia Pinnata Azadirachta Indica Rosmarinus officinalis L. Physio-chemio-sorption Microtiter plate 2 5-Dimercapto-1 3 4-thiadiazole Thin film instability Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementary1.docx Supplementary2.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 15 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Accepted 07 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 04 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 03 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 May, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 29 May, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 24 May, 2025 First submitted to journal 16 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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We used the crystal violet bioassay method to evaluate the antifungal properties of MgO, ZnO NPs, and Cdots against Candida albicans on 2, 5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole coated microtiter plates. We examined the intricate mechanisms that govern their efficacy and provided insights into their potential therapeutic applications against microbial infections. This study elucidates the structural and functional properties of inorganic metal oxide NPs and organic carbon nanodots by employing various characterization methods such as FTIR, SEM, DLS, XRD, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, Optical Microscopy, EDS, and Zeta potential measurements. The microtiter plates were first coated with 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) dissolved in methanol (1 g/mL), and then dried and coated with NPs and C-dots using their suspensions in deionized water at three different concentrations. 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