In situ synthesis of nanosized TiO2 in polypropylene solution for the production of films with antibacterial activity

Publication date: Available online 19 February 2020Source: Materials Chemistry and PhysicsAuthor(s): Natasha Vieira Sievers, Liliane Damaris Pollo, Gertrudes Corção, Nilo Sérgio Medeiros CardozoAbstractThis work reports a new method to obtain polypropylene/titanium dioxide (PP/TiO2) films with antibacterial activity through the in situ synthesis of nanostructured TiO2 directly in the polymer solution. In order to compare the performance of the different types of particles, TiO2 particles were also prepared utilizing the sol-gel method and subsequently incorporated into the polymer to form PP/TiO2 films. The obtained TiO2 and PP/TiO2 films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), dispersive scanning electron microscopy with dispersive energy (SEM/EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, and contact angle. The properties of the particles and the PP/TiO2 films were correlated to the antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli) bacteria. The TiO2 nanostructured obtained in situ presented small particle size (7.7 nm), high surface area (159.8 m2.g-1) and high crystallinity (even without heat treatment), presenting a mixture of anatase and rutile phases, which together exert a beneficial synergistic effect on the antibacterial properties of the TiO2 particles. Experimental results showed a reduction of around 90% of the bacterial population. In situ meth...
Source: Materials Chemistry and Physics - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research