Preparation, characterization, and antibacterial activity of chitosan/silicone rubber filled zeolite, silver, and copper nanocomposites against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The ongoing emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become one of the biggest threats to global health and development today. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are important antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to their increasing resistance to a broad array of antimicrobial agents. Herein, we developed a novel antibacterial nanocomposite based on chitosan and liquid silicone rubber filled zeolite-A, Ag, and Cu nanoparticles with remarkable antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and MRSA. The antibacterial activity of the nanocomposite was studied by disc diffusion and broth culture methods. Besides, the mechanical properties, wetting behavior, and chemical structure of the present nanocomposite were also investigated. The results exhibited that the inhibition zone diameter of the nanocomposite for P. aeruginosa and MRSA were 40 and 27 mm, respectively. It also took approximately 1 h to inhibit the growth of the tested bacteria. The nanocomposite sample with a thickness of around 1 mm showed an elastic elongation of nearly 49% and a contact angle of roughly 120 degrees. Thus, the present nanocomposite was found to be useful in killing and inhibiting the growth of P. aeruginosa and MRSA, and it could also be qualified as a superior elastic and hydrophobic material.