Antimicrobial activity of nanocomposites: poly(amide) 6 and low density poly(ethylene) filled with zinc oxide

Abstract

Abstract:The antimicrobial activity against E. coli, St. aureus and A. niger of zinc oxide when blended with polymers has been measured by an applied dynamic method. Two polymers: poly(amide) 6 (PA6) and low density poly(ethylene) (LDPE) have been used as matrix. ZnO nanoparticles content as low as 1% w/w in the polymers showed great antibacterial activity but no antifungal activity. The results of bacterial slaying capability of these nanocomposites was also found to be better when zinc oxide was dispersed in PA6, where the efficiency is similar to pure ZnO particles. The composites have been investigated by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC).

Thermal and rheological characterization of antibacterial nanocomposites

“…Calculated by BET method, it is estimated at 15 m 2 g À1 , that is to say three times larger than the particles used in the study by Yamamoto et al 21 However, this value is coherent with Cho et al, 22 where the specific surface area is about 20 m 2 g À1 . The synthesized ZnO is a good antibacterial since in our previous work, 14 1 w/w% of ZnO showed a reduction in the death rate after 48 h of 99.99% of Bacteria (Table 3). In order to evaluate the level of dispersion of filler in the matrix, the size distribution of raw particles is studied.…”

“…The zincite phase has been identified by XRD. 14 some hundredth of Å along c 0 axis may have an effect on antibacterial activity by H 2 O 2 generation as shown by Yamamoto et al 21 The specific surface area may also be an influent factor in antibacterial activity by increasing the surface contact area between particles and the aqueous bacterial media. Calculated by BET method, it is estimated at 15 m 2 g À1 , that is to say three times larger than the particles used in the study by Yamamoto et al 21 However, this value is coherent with Cho et al, 22 where the specific surface area is about 20 m 2 g À1 .…”

Development of Antibacterial Composite Films Based on Isotactic Polypropylene and Coated ZnO Particles for Active Food Packaging

“…Due also to low cost, ZnO particles (with sub-micro and nano-dimensions) are therefore ideal fillers for polymers to be applied in the field of active food packaging. Thus, ZnO particles have been incorporated into a number of different polymers used in food packaging [15,16], such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) [17,18], isotactic polypropylene (iPP) [19][20][21][22][23][24], polyamide (PA) [18,25], and polylactic acid (PLA) [26].…”

Effect of Activated Plastic Films on Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens

“…Zinc oxide, zinc acetate and potassium sorbate are amenable for incorporation into plastic films in the extrusion process, since they will withstand the temperature (of around 185˝C) required for melting of plastic materials. Furthermore, ZnO particles have been incorporated into a number of different polymers used in food packaging, including low-density polyethylene (LDPE) [9,10]. Nevertheless, in our experiments, incorporation of these antimicrobials into LDPE offered poor results and low antimicrobial activity.…”