Nanocomposites Based on Chitosan-Graft-Poly(N-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone): Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Activity

Abstract

Organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) was synthesized by cationic exchange between Na⁺-MMT and N-octyl-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidonium bromide. Chitosan graft copolymer nanocomposites were synthesized by grafting N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone onto chitosan in aqueous acetic acid in the presence of OMMT using free radical polymerization. The chemical structures were verified by FTIR. Scanning electron microscopy showed a surface roughness for chitosan graft nanocomposites. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction confirmed the intercalation of grafted chitosan chains between OMMT galleries. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal stability of grafted chitosan was enhanced by OMMT incorporation. Preliminary studies showed that the nanocomposites exhibited antimicrobial activity compared with chitosan graft copolymer.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Antimicrobial activity
• chitosan
• grafting
• nanocomposites
• thermal stability

Supplemental Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at www.tandfonline.com/gpom.