Abstract
Nanocomposites offer attractive and cost-effective thin layers with superior properties for antimicrobial, drug delivery and microelectronic applications. This work reports single-step plasma-enabled synthesis of polymer/zinc nanocomposite thin films via co-deposition of renewable geranium essential oil-derived polymer and zinc nanoparticles produced by thermal decomposition of zinc acetylacetonate. The chemical composition, surfaces characteristics and antimicrobial performance of the designed nanocomposite were systematically investigated. XPS survey proved the presence of ZnO in the matrix of formed polymers at 10 W and 50 W. SEM images verified that the average size of a ZnO nanoparticle slightly increased with an increase in the power of deposition, from approximately 60 nm at 10 W to approximately 80 nm at 50 W. Confocal scanning laser microscopy images showed that viability of S. aureus and E.coli cells significantly reduced on surfaces of ZnO/polymer composites compared to pristine polymers. SEM observations further demonstrated that bacterial cells incubated on Zn/Ge 10 W and Zn/Ge 50 W had deteriorated cell walls, compared to pristine polymers and glass control. The release of ZnO nanoparticles from the composite thin films was confirmed using ICP measurements, and can be further controlled by coating the film with a thin polymeric layer. These eco-friendly nanocomposite films could be employed as encapsulation coatings to protect relevant surfaces of medical devices from microbial adhesion and colonization.
Highlights
There has been an increased interest in the functionalizing of sustainable resources-derived polymers via incorporation of metallic nanoparticles, where the intrinsic properties of the nanoparticles are contributed into the polymer[1]
Nanocomposites could be effectively employed as antibacterial coatings, where the metal nanoparticles are incorporated into a thin layer of polymer, providing a high platform for active particles to interact with microorganisms
We successfully developed a nanocomposite material from geranium essential oil and the thermal decomposition of zinc acetylacetonate in a one step plasma system
Summary
There has been an increased interest in the functionalizing of sustainable resources-derived polymers via incorporation of metallic nanoparticles, where the intrinsic properties of the nanoparticles are contributed into the polymer[1]. The resultant ‘eco-friendly composites’ combine the advantages of low-dimensional organic layers with an enormous surface area of nanoparticles, creating a wide range of promising applications in science and manufacturing[2]. These composites are versatile, potentially biodegradable, and their polymer can be derived from a wide variety of possible renewable precursors, such as oxygen-rich monomers and hydrocarbon-rich monomers[3,4]. Essential oil-based coatings prepared by plasma polymerization display a wide range of desired properties, including biocompatibility, optical transparency[9,10], and moderate hydrophilicity[11] These films have found a host www.nature.com/scientificreports/. To the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic study investigating nanocomposite plasma films derived from essential oils and inorganic nanoparticles
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