ELECTROSPUN PVC/MOFS-AG NANOCOMPOSITES AS EFFICIENT ANTIBACTERIAL MEMBRANES

Abstract

In this study, electrospinning is employed to prepare composite membranes of polyvinylchloride (PVC) embedded with nanocrystals of post-metalated metal organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66(COOH)2-Ag, and ZIF-8-Ag. The composites were fully characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermoGravimetric analysis (TGA), porosity analysis, and water contact angle measurement (WCA). The incorporation of the MOFs nanocrystals within the nano-fibrous PVC membranes by electrospinning resulted in the formation of a highly stable MOFs-membrane composite with a larger fiber diameter and greater average pore size compared to PVC. The antibacterial properties of the obtained membranes were investigated as a function of MOF-Ag loading. It showed an improved antibacterial activity (up to 95% inhibition) with the increased MOF-Ag loading when the silver concentration was kept constant which supports a contact-based inhibition. Those findings ensure that such membranes can act as a potential antibacterial air filters due to their nature.