Preparation and characterization of polypropylene nanofibre containing Ag nanoparticles via melt electro spinning Mohammad Zarrebini Esfahani, Behnaz Baghaei, Masoumeh Arabian, Mahvash Keivani
AbstractPolypropylene nanofibres containing silver nanoparticles were successfully prepared via melt-electrospinning process. The electrospun nanofibres were characterized using SEM and XRD. AATCC 100 test, a quantitative method, was employed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of samples. The results of the intensity pattern of X-ray diffraction indicated that the crystallinity of the samples containing silver nanoparticles was slightly
less than those of pure polypropylene nanofibres. In order to determine fibres diameter and diameter of the silver nanoparticles, two sets of SEM micrographs along and perpendicular to fiber axis were taken. It was found that while fibre diameter lies in the range of 110 to 120 nm. The diameter of the imbedded silver nanoparticles in the nanofibres was 40 nm. It was also noticed that some aggregation of the silver nanoparticles had occurred. The results of antibacterial evaluation showed that the nanofibres, which contained silver nanoparticles exhibited excellent antibacterial properties.
Keywords: nanofibres, melt-electrospinning, silver nanoparticles, polypropylene, antibacterial properties.