Antimicrobial biocomposites of melt-compounded polylactide films containing silver-based engineered clays

Abstract

This article reports on two polylactide composites obtained by melt compounding containing two silver-based biocide montmorillonites. The active clays are differentiated by the biocide agent oxidation state, i.e. in one sample silver is in ionic form and in the other as native nanoparticles. In both cases, composites with enhanced thermal stability and good dispersion and distribution of the antimicrobial compounds were obtained. The active engineered organoclays and the corresponding biocomposites showed strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The biocidal effect was larger for the ionic silver sample, as expected. The results support these composite material's potential as antimicrobial additives in polylactide active packaging applications obtained via melt compounding.