Fabrication of Antibacterial Biodegradable films Using a Radiation-induced Reduction Method

The simple and facile radiation technique of the preparation of antibacterial biodegradable polymer films containing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was described. The biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) films containing silver trifluoroacetate (Ag TFA) were prepared by a solvent casting method, and then the films were irradiated by electron beams at the various doses ranging from 20 to 200 kGy to form Ag NPs in the biodegradable polymers. The results of UV-vis and FE-SEM/EDX analyses revealed that the Ag NPs were successfully formed in the PBAT matrix during the electron beam irradiation, and their amounts were dependant on the absorbed dose and Ag TFA concentrations. Furthermore, on the basis of the results of the antibacterial test through disk diffusion and colony counting test, the irradiated PBAT/Ag TFA films exhibited the antibacterial property due to the formation of Ag NPs.