Toward tailor-made biocide materials based on poly(propylene)/copper nanoparticles3

Abstract

A set of poly(propylene) composites containing different amounts of copper nanoparticles (CNP) were prepared by the melt mixed method and their antimicrobial behavior was quantitatively studied. The time needed to reduce the bacteria to 50% dropped to half with only 1 v/v% of CNP compared to the polymer without CNP After 4h this composite killed more than 99.9% of the bacteria. The biocide kinetics can be controlled by the nanofiller content; composites with CNP concentrations higher than 10 v/v % eliminated 99% of the bacteria in less than 2h. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy did not detect CNP at the surface, therfore the biocide behavior was attributed to copper in the bulk of the composite. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.