Antibacterial silicone-urea/organoclay nanocomposites

Abstract

Montmorillonite modified with distearyldimethyl ammonium chloride (C18-QAC) (Nanofil-15) (NF15) was incorporated into polydimethylsiloxane-urea (silicone-urea, PSU) copolymers. PSU was obtained by the reaction of equimolar amounts of aminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) oligomer (<M-n>= 3,200 g/mol) and bis(4-isocyanatohexyl) methane (HMDI). A series of PSU/NF15 nanocomposites were prepared by solution blending with organoclay loadings ranging from 0.80 to 9.60% by weight, corresponding to 0.30 to 3.60% C18-QAC. Colloidal dispersions of organophilic clay (NF15) in isopropanol were mixed with the PSU solution in isopropanol and were subjected to ultrasonic treatment. Composite films were obtained by solution casting. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that the organoclay mainly interacted with the urea groups but not with PDMS. XRD analysis showed that nanocomposites containing up to 6.40% by weight of organoclay had fully exfoliated silicate layers in the polymer matrix, whereas 9.60% loading had an intercalated structure. Physicochemical properties of nanocomposites were determined. PSU/NF15 nanocomposites displayed excellent long-term antibacterial properties against E. coli.