Synthesis of antibacterial silver–chitosan-modified bionanocomposites by RAFT polymerization and chemical reduction methods

Abstract

Chitosan (Cts) was first modified with 4-cyano,4-[(phenylcarbothioyl)sulfanyl]pentanoic acid to serve as reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, and then the controlled grafting polymerizations of acrylic acid (PAA) were performed. The resultant copolymers were used as a stabilizing agent for preparation of colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in the range of 2–10 nm. Afterwards, montmorillonites (MMTs) were added to the solution of colloidal Ag NPs for improving thermal stability. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy images demonstrate the successful synthesis of the graft copolymer. Their thermal behavior was examined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyses.The antibacterial activity of Ag/Cts-g-PAA and Ag/Cts-g-PAA/MMT was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans by the disc diffusion method using Mueller Hinton agar. Antimicrobial tests show that Ag/Cts-g-PAA has much higher antimicrobial activity than Ag/Cts-g-PAA/MMT. This method would enable a wide variety of molecular designs to afford novel types of tailored hybrid materials composed of natural polysaccharides and synthetic polymers. The new hybrid materials were used as a stabilizing agent for preparation of Ag bionanocomposites with good antibacterial activity.