Materials Today Chemistry, cilt.35, sa.3, ss.1-15, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The
objective of this study is to develop novel polymer-LDH composites with antibacterial
activity using different types of polymer matrix DPes and PP, and a novel
filler in exfoliated Mg/Al-Cl LDH layers containing boron-phosphorus domains,
and to investigate their anticipated behaviors.
Firstly, BA-LDH-PC with
the anticipated properties comprises exfoliated and boron-phosphorus species conjugated
Mg/Al-Cl LDH layers,
which were successfully synthesized for the first time. The structural, morphological, and thermal characterization
of BA-LDH-PC was realized. Its antibacterial
activity was also examined using ATCC-coded seven reference bacterial strains according to the EUCAST, 2013 test. Two different types of
composites based on DPes and PP were prepared using BA-LDH-PC at different
loadings (2, 5, and 7 wt%). Biofilm formation on their surface by diverse Gram-positive
and Gram-negative bacterial strains was quantitatively assessed using Fluorescence-based
microplate analysis. Their mechanical properties were also investigated through
Texture/Tensile Analysis and DMA. Findings clearly demonstrate that BA-LDH-PC
is a convenient filler for developing antibiofilm composites. Composites
containing BA-LDH-PC at 5 wt% (DPes-based, CDPes-5) and 7 wt%
(PP-based, CPP-7) displayed markedly reduced biofilm formation.
Mechanical testing showed that CDPes-5 exhibited ductile behavior,
while CPP-7 demonstrated superior mechanical strength and its
suitability for rigid use. It was concluded that composites containing BA-LDH-PC indicated promising results for the
development of both flexible and rigid antibacterial composites and might be convenient as an
alternative product to the commercial antibiofilm products, such as restrooms,
showers, and sanitation facilities in slaughterhouses, food production,
food-contact packaging surfaces, and hygiene-critical public areas.