LDPE/EVA Composites for Antimicrobial Properties

Abstract

Composites with antimicrobial activity are of great interest nowadays and the development of titanium dioxide with these functional properties presents interest in academic and industrial sectors.

An approach to develop PE composite containing silver microparticles to have an antimicrobial effect is presented. To obtain such antimicrobial composites, LDPE/EVA were processed with Ag particles on TiO₂ particles as inorganic carrier substance. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (P-25) were covered with silver particles using Turkevich Method or citrate reduction method. The Ag/TiO₂ particles were dispersed at concentration of 0,8 wt% and 1% wt% in LDPE/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)–(50% w/w) at the melt state in a Haake torque Rheometer. Silver microparticles were characterized with UV-Vis Spectroscopy. The composites thus prepared were characterized through XRD, Ares Rheometer, Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and JIS Z 2801 antimicrobial tests to study the effects of the addition of particles on rheological properties, morphological behavior and antimicrobial properties. The results showed that incorporation of silver/titanium dioxide particles on composites obtained systems with differents dispersions. The Ag/TiO₂ particles showed uniform distribution of Ag on TiO₂ particles as observed by SEM-EDX and antimicrobial tests according to JIS Z 2801 shows excellent antimicrobial properties.

Keywords:

• Antimicrobial polymers
• citrate reduction method
• nanocomposite