Patent ID: 8632811

Claim:
A method for synthesizing a silica-based nanoformulation containing antibacterial and antifungal agents using a one-pot, acid-catalyzed, sol-gel process, comprising the steps of: mixing an acidic reaction medium, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), water, ethanol and an antibacterial or antifungal agent to form mixture I; wherein the antibacterial or antifungal agent is a plurality of copper (Cu) ions sourced from a copper compound; allowing the reaction of mixture I to form a plurality of silica-based nanoparticles; adding a neutralizing agent after the formation of a plurality of nanoparticles to adjust the pH value of the reaction mixture to approximately 7.0; allowing the neutralized reaction of mixture I to continue to allow gelation to occur, wherein the nanogel structure consists of interconnected nanoparticles; and collecting a porous silica-based nanogel having antibacterial and antifungal agents bound in a plurality of interconnected nanoparticles of the nanogel, wherein the plurality of interconnected nanoparticles of the nanogel contain a plurality of Cu ions electrostatically bound to the nanoparticle core, a plurality of Cu ions covalently bound to a hydrated shell surface and nanopores of the nanoparticle, and a plurality of Cu oxide/hydroxide as nanoclusters/nanoparticles bound to the surface of the nanoparticle.