Synthesis of novel PVA-PFPAMA nanocomposites by the hydrothermal method: Evaluation of thermal, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic properties

Abstract

In this study, a mixture of poly 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl-2-methylprop-2-enoate (PFPAMA) and PVA was first prepared and characterized using the hydrothermal method. Copper (II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) prepared by solution plasma process (SPP) were hydrothermally incorporated into the PVA-PFPAMA blend at 3 %, 5 %, and 7 %. FTIR spectroscopy was used to identify the functional groups of the obtained materials. Morphological and structural analysis of the materials was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the materials were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and their thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All materials showed excellent antimicrobial effects against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans strains. It was also found that the anticarcinogenic activity increased with the proportion of CuO NPs in the nanocomposites. The results showed that the thermal and biological properties of the nanocomposites were positively affected after the inclusion of CuO NPs in the PVA-PFPAMA blend.The synergistic effects of PFPAMA and CuO NPs improved the overall performance of the materials.