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Polyamide/silver antimicrobials: effect of crystallinity on the silver ion release
Author(s) -
Kumar Radhesh,
Münstedt Helmut
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.1828
Subject(s) - crystallinity , materials science , polyamide , differential scanning calorimetry , silver nanoparticle , chemical engineering , composite material , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Polyamide/silver (PA/Ag) composite materials are regarded as potential antimicrobials by virtue of their efficacy to release the Ag + ions in an aqueous medium. The effects of the matrix crystallinity on the Ag + ion release characteristics of PA/Ag composites are discussed. It is found that matrix crystallinity is very decisive for the silver ion releasing properties and hence the antimicrobial efficacy of silver‐based antimicrobial polyamides. The crystallinities of the composites were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry. The silver ion release characteristics of these composites were measured by anode stripping voltammetry. Silver ion release was higher in systems possessing lower degrees of crystallinity. Water‐diffusion characteristics of the composites control the silver ion release. The effect of crystallinity on silver ion release rate depends on the time of soaking of the specimens in water. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry