Regresar

Radiation grafting of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinylimidazole) onto polytetrafluoroethylene films and silver immobilization for antimicrobial performance

Abstract:

Polytetrafluorethylene, PTFE, films were activated and modified via gamma-rays to graft, in two steps, first methyl methacrylate, MMA, and subsequently N-vinylimidazole, NVI. The modified materials with a more reactive surface, PTFE-g-MMA and (PTFE-g-MMA)-g-NVI, were characterized spectroscopically and thermally; also, the behavior of the films was recorded through all the grafting process with experiments including swelling and contact angle, suggesting changes in the hydrophilic/hydrophobic features. The change in reactivity due to the NVI chains was confirmed by the easy reaction of the modified films with AgNO 3 , resulting in the metal immobilization with the consequent formation of nanoparticles and aggregates. Mechanical properties and SEM-EDS and XPS spectra were also investigated. Finally, Ag-loaded (PTFE-g-MMA)-g-NVI films were challenged against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria confirming antimicrobial performance.