Synthesis of vegetable oil-based waterborne polyurethane/silver-halloysite antibacterial nanocomposites

Castor oil-based waterborne polyurethane/silver-halloysite (WPU/Ag-HNT) antibacterial nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating silver-halloysite composite (Ag-HNT) into WPU via in situ polymerization. Ag-HNT was successfully synthesized by modification of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) with 3-(2-Aminoethylamino) propyldimethoxymethylsilane (AEAPTMS) and chitosan, and then mixed with silver nitrate for combining silver ions, finally the silver nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of HNTs by reducing silver ions with NaBH4. The morphology, thermal properties and mechanical properties of WPU/Ag-HNT nanocomposites films were characterized by SEM, TGA, DMA, DSC and tensile testing. The results were shown that the thermal and mechanical properties of WPU/Ag-HNT nanocomposites were improved. The antibacterial test indicated that the nanocomposites exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The obtained nanocomposites will have promising applications in high performance antibacterial coatings.