Synthesis and Characterization of Ag Doped CuO Nanoparticles With Different Sizes and Investigation of Their Anticancer Activity

Abstract

In this work, Ag-doped CuO nanoparticles with different sizes were synthesized using co-precipitation method at two different reaction temperatures. The crystallinity, particle size, and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM, and EDS analysis. The monoclinic structures of Ag-doped CuO nanoparticles were determined by using XRD analysis, indicating their high crystallinity and the absence of secondary phases. The spherical and disk-like morphology and purity of the nanoparticles were confirmed through FESEM-EDS analysis with an average particle size of 448 nm and 240 nm for CuO@Ag-NP1 (NP1) and CuO@Ag-NP2 (NP2), respectively. The anti-cancer effect of NP1 and NP2 in U87 and LN18 glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines has been examined. GBM, a grade IV astrocytoma, is the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor and currently has no cure, highlighting the urgent need for new treatment strategies. Our findings suggested that both nanoparticles induced cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential loss, however because NP2 has smaller particle size compared to NP1, it exerted a higher toxic effect following 50 µg/ml in U87 and LN18 cell lines. © The Author(s) 2025.