Structural characterisation and antibacterial activity of PP/TiO2 nanocomposites prepared by an in situ sol-gel method

Polypropylene/titanium dioxide (PP/TiO2) nanocomposites can be prepared using a novel method based on the hydrolysis-condensation reactions (sol-gel method) of titanium alkoxide inorganic precursors that have been premixed with polypropylene under molten conditions. The resultant nanocomposites were characterised by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These techniques showed the formation of the titanium oxi-hydroxide chemical structure (TixOy(OH)(z)) with a diameter of approximately 10 nm in the polymer matrix. Furthermore, a condensation degree of around 17% was determined using XPS analysis. The antibacterial activity was tested according to the JIS Z 2801:2000 standard with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the absence of light. Correlations between the microstructure and the chemical composition of PP/TiO2 nanocomposites and the antibacterial properties of these nanocomposites were discussed. The structure of titanium oxi-hydroxide derivative particles (TixOy(OH)(z)) within the polypropylene matrix has been shown to impact strongly on the antibacterial properties in comparison with the results obtained with a dispersion of anatase titanium dioxide into the PP. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.