Material Formulations for AR/PMMA and AR-TiO₂/PMMA Blends and Effects of UV Radiation and Tio₂ Loading on Mechanical and Antibacterial Performances

ABSTRACT

Polymer blends of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) and acrylic rubber(AR) were manufactured with the addition of titanium dioxide (TiO₂). TiO₂ was initially added to the AR phase in AR/PMMA blends. The impact strength of PMMA improved with AR loading. The addition of TiO₂ appeared to decrease the tensile properties of the blends with AR of 10-30 wt% of AR, but increased with AR of 40-50 wt%, this being related to distribution level of TiO₂. UV radiation deteriorated the overall mechanical properties, where TiO₂ could retain the properties. To achieve acceptable antibacterial performance, AR loadings of 40 and 50 wt% in AR-TiO₂/PMMA blends are recommended, together with TiO₂ loadings of 1.5 pph and 0.5 pph, respectively.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Acrylic rubber
• antibacterial performance
• poly (methyl methacrylate)
• titanium dioxide
• UV radiation

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) under the National Research University (NRU) Program and the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) under the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program (PHD/0151/2557). The authors are grateful to the College of Industrial Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), for supplying laboratory facilities.