Table 1.

Overview of certain nanocomposites of silver: their physico-chemical description and biological activity.

Nanocomposite (Named According to the Reference)	Silver Nanoparticles Size	Silver Nanoparticles Shape	Silver Amount in Nanocomposites	Form of Compound (If Applicable)	Type of Synthesis	Antibacterial Activity	References
Silver nanoparticles	10–15 nm	spherical, polyhedral	n/a	n/a	chemical	Antibacterial effect was dose-dependent. Tested silver nanoparticles were more effective against Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive; MoA: binding to the cell wall and penetrating it; modulation of cellular signalling	[18]
AgNPs	5–30 nm	variable: most spherical	n/a	n/a	biological	Increased antibacterial activity of antibiotics in the presence of AgNPs; MoA: binding to proteins (by thiol groups) and DNA	[19]
Silver nanoparticles	39 nm (spherical), 40 nm (triangular), 133–192 nm, diameter: 16 nm (rod-shaped)	variable: most spherical, triangular, rod-shaped	n/a	n/a	chemical	Inhibition of Escherichia coli growth on medium with silver nanoparticles; MoA: damage of bacterial cell membrane on multiple locations, formation of irregular pits	[20]
Nano-Ag	9.3 ± 2.8 nm	spherical	n/a	n/a	chemical	Inhibition of E. coli growth at 6 µM concentration of Nano-Ag; MoA: changes in expression of genes encoding envelope proteins (accumulation of envelope protein precursors), destabilization of outer membrane, disturbance of proton motive force	[21]
Silver nanoparticles	12 nm	spherical	n/a	n/a	chemical	Inhibition of E. coli growth at 50–60 µg/mL concentration of silver nanoparticles; MoA: damage of membranes, incorporation of silver nanoparticles into membranes, forming pits, disturbances in permeability	[22]
Silver nanoparticles	16 ± 8 nm, 21 ± 18 nm	icosahedral, twinned, decahedral	n/a	agglomerated inside the carbon matrix	chemical	Inhibition of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria growth at 75 μg/mL concentration of silver nanoparticles; MoA: binding to cell membrane, permeability changes, disturbances in respiration process, penetration of the bacterial membranes, interacting with DNA, releasing silver ions	[23]
Ti/Ag	not specified	not specified	1.93–6.08% [m/m]	nanotexture, rutile, anatase	biological	Inhibition of S. aureus (MRSA) and E. coli growth at 15–75 µM; MoA: not specified	[24]
Nanosilver/diatomite	1–20 nm	spherical particles	0.537% [m/m]	not specified	chemical	0.5 g nanosilver/diatomite kills above 99% of E. coli within 30 min; MoA: not specified	[25]
Chitosan-AgNps	8–28 nm	spherical	1% [m/m]	chitosan/alginate nanofibers	chemical	Inhibition of E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus pumilus and Staphylococcus aureus growth; MoA: not specified	[26]
AgNps	15–160 nm (mean diameter 60 ± 10 nm)	spherical and irregular	n/a	not specified	biological	Inhibition of multidrug (MDR) pathogens: Acinetobacter baumannii, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enterica growth at 25–50 µg concentration; MoA: not specified	[27]
GO-l-cys-AgNps	31.5–42 nm (mean diameter 35.34 ± 0.2 nm)	spherical	not specified	graphene sheets functionalized with l-cysteine	chemical	Inhibition of E. coli growth MoA: damages of the cell membrane	[28]
AgNPs	6–26 nm, 4.24–23.22 nm	spherical	n/a	foam	biological	Inhibition of the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria growth at 676.9 mg/L concentration; MoA: not specified	[29]
Ag-NPs	100 nm, 30 nm diameter 200–300 length	Spherical, rod-like	n/a	oil microemulsion	chemical	Inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus growth at 0.05 mg/L; MoA: not specified	[30]
AgNPs	15 nm	spherical	n/a	n/a	biological	Inhibition of E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa growth at 50 µg/mL; MoA: not specified	[31]
AgNPs	5–40 nm	variable: spherical or rod-like	n/a	n/a	biological	Increased antibacterial activity of ampicillin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol in the presence of AgNPs (E. coli, Salmonella Typhi, S. aureus, Micrococcus luteus); MoA: not specified	[32]

n/a—not applicable; MoA—Mode of antibacterial action of silver; AgNPs—silver nanoparticles; GO—graphene oxide; MDR—multi-drug resistant; MRSA—Methicillin-resistant S. aureus.