Properties of Polypropylene/Antibacterial Glass Composites

Abstract

Polypropylene (PP)/antibacterial glass composites were prepared by melt blending PP and silver-doped glass. The antibacterial activity of the PP composites was examined by the method of plate counting, and the crystallization behaviors of pure PP and antibacterial glass/PP composites were compared via hot-stage polarized optical microscopy (POM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results revealed that the antibacterial PP composites had effective antibacterial activity with antibacterial rates more than 90%. The antibacterial agent in the antibacterial glass/PP composites acted as nucleating agents, increasing the crystallization temperature and crystallization rate of PP, but not changing the crystalline modification of PP. The mechanical properties of antibacterial glass/PP composites were also studied, and the results showed that the antibacterial glass improved the stiffness and modulus but decreased the notched impact strength of the PP composites.