Preparation and properties of antimicrobial zinc alginate films according to solution concentration

Abstract

Zinc alginate films were prepared by a film maker from sodium alginate solutions of different weight ratios and then they solidified into 3 wt% content ZnCl2 coagulation solution and washed and dried at a 60 °C oven for 20 min. The characteristics were measured by several methods (antimicrobial activity, viscosity, FTIR, TGA, SEM, EDS, contact angle, tensile strength and solubility) and the film properties were investigated. The antimicrobial test showed that the zinc alginate films result in excellent antimicrobial activity in the two strains (Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus). The surface of zinc alginate film from the solution of 9 wt% sodium alginate showed more uniform shape than any other films and the cross-section were hard and rough when the films were well-solidified by the ZnCl2 solution. The tensile strength of zinc alginate films increased along with the concentration of sodium alginate solution due to the cross-linking, and the initial thermal decomposition temperature increased gradually.