Printable nanocomposites of polymers and silver nanoparticles for antibacterial devices produced by DoD technology

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 19;13(7):e0200918. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200918. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are known for their efficient bactericidal activity and are widely used in industry. This study aims to produce printable antibacterial devices by drop-on-demand (DoD) inkjet technology, using Ag-NPs as the active part in complex printable fluids. The synthesis of this active part is described using two methods to obtain monodisperse NPs: chemical and microwave irradiation. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-VIS, STEM, TEM, DLS and XRD. Two printable fluids were produced based: one with Ag-NPs and a second one, a polymeric nanocomposite, using silver nanoparticles and polyvinyl butyral (Ag-NPs/PVB). Cellulose acetate was used as a flexible substrate. The ecotoxicity analysis of fluids and substrate was performed with Artemia franciscana nauplii. Optimized electric pulse waveforms for drop formation of the functional fluids were obtained for the piezoelectric-based DoD printing. Activity of printed antibacterial devices was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results show that the printed device with Ag-NP fluids evidenced a bacterial inhibition. An important advantage in using the DoD process is the possibility of printing, layer by layer or side by side, more than one active principle, allowing an interleaved or simultaneous release of silver NP and other molecules of interest as for example with a second functional fluid to ensure effectiveness of Ag activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Dolphins / growth & development
  • Dolphins / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Printing / instrumentation*
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Polymers
  • Silver

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the "Laboratório de Arquitetura de Nanodispositivos Fotônicos e Bioinspirados” LANDFOTON-UFPE (Recife-Brazil) Group, supported by the Brazilian Research Agencies FINEP (CT-HIDRO/NAMICRO), CNPq, FACEPE, and CAPES (Nanobiotec-Brasil Network 36), for the financing of the project carried out, the CETENE Research Center (MCTIC) and the CENCINAT “Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología” (Quito-Ecuador), for their research support in the characterization of the nanoparticles (PS-C).