Clusters of poly(acrylates) and silver nanoparticles: structure and applications for antimicrobial fabrics

Silver-poly(acrylate) clusters have been synthesized in water by reduction of AgNO3 in the presence of poly(acrylates) of different molecular weights through two different methods, NaBH4 reduction and UV exposure. The structure of the clusters and the effect of the synthesis parameters on the size and polydispersity of the particles were evaluated by means of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and confirmed by UV-visible absorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results clearly show that the reduction method and the polymer chain length play key roles in the achievement of few-nanometer-sized nanoparticles. The effect of the pH was also investigated. The nanoparticle dispersions were then used to functionalize cotton, wool, and polyester samples in order to obtain antimicrobial textiles for biomedical applications. The antimicrobial activity of the as-treated samples has been tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans.