Mechanical and Antimicrobial Polyethylene Composites with CaO Nanoparticles

Abstract

Low-density polyethylene composites containing different sizes of calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles were obtained by melt mixing. The CaO nanoparticles were synthesized by either the sol-gel or sonication methods, obtaining two different sizes: ca. 55 nm and 25 nm. These nanoparticles were used either as-synthesized or were modified organically on the surface with oleic acid (Mod-CaO), at concentrations of 3, 5, and 10 wt% in the polymer. The Mod-CaO nanoparticles of 25 nm can act as nucleating agents, increasing the polymer’s crystallinity. The Young’s Modulus increased with the Mod-CaO nanoparticles, rendering higher reinforcement effects with an increase as high as 36%. The reduction in Escherichia coli bacteria in the nanocomposites increased with the amount of CaO nanoparticles, the size reduction, and the surface modification. The highest antimicrobial behavior was found in the composites with a Mod-CaO of 25 nm, presenting a reduction of 99.99%. This strong antimicrobial effect can be associated with the release of the Ca2+ from the composites, as studied for the composite with 10 wt% nanoparticles. The ion release was dependent on the size of the nanoparticles and their surface modification. These findings show that CaO nanoparticles are an excellent alternative as an antimicrobial filler in polymer nanocomposites to be applied for food packaging or medical devices.

Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Antimicrobial Polymers Based on the Inclusion of Polyethylene Glycol/TiO2 Nanocomposites in Cyclodextrin as Drug Carriers for Sulfaguanidine

“…Incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) such as Ag, Pd, CaO, Co 3 O 4 , TiO 2 , ZnO 2 , CuO, MgO, and others into the polymers, which are called nanocomposite polymers, not only dramatically changes their physical properties but also applies new functionalities [53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62]. Polymeric nanocomposites can be represented as core-shell-type NPs wherein the inorganic core may be either metal and/or a metal-oxide NP, and the organic shell can be a polymer.…”

Embracing Additive Manufacturing Technology through Fused Filament Fabrication for Antimicrobial with Enhanced Formulated Materials

“…Developing new material for different applications of the 3D Printing technology [ 1 ] usually involves many challenges, such as the mechanical properties [ 2 ] as well as the failure mechanism [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The FFF technology opened new horizons for a wide range of applications [ 1 , 2 ] but limitations still face this fast-moving sector [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Although the 3D Printing technology contributes to the increasing levels of wasted material of polymeric base [ 9 , 10 ], on the contrary, there are unlimited benefits that are continuously increasing day by day.…”

“…Although the 3D Printing technology contributes to the increasing levels of wasted material of polymeric base [ 9 , 10 ], on the contrary, there are unlimited benefits that are continuously increasing day by day. Owing to its innovation-driven approach, 3D Printing has been expanding to several fields, such as analytical chemistry for chromatography [ 3 ] and fluorescence techniques [ 4 ], optic fibers for increased optical and mechanical performance [ 5 , 6 ], membrane technology for increased adsorption of chemicals [ 7 ], space technology to develop tools on-site [ 8 ], and medicine for the development of implants and medical devices [ 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Development of LDPE Crystallinity in LDPE/Cu Composites

“…Makki Abdelmouleh 1 * and Ilyes Jedidi 2 1 Laboratoire de Sciences des Matériaux et de l'Environnement (LMSE), Université de Sfax, Tunisia…”

“…Several value-added properties other than low cost, are gained through the use of fillers. Fillers can improve the mechanical [1][2][3] and thermal [4][5][6][7] properties, as well as optical and electrical properties [8][9][10][11][12] of polymeric materials composites. The polyethylene (PE) as one of the most widely used thermoplastics resins possesses excellent biocompatibility with human body and usually used as implantable material [13].…”