Functional poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane anchored with silver nanoparticle with antibacterial activity

• Poly(vinylidene fluoride) blended with its graft polymers are used to prepared functional membrane.
• Silver nanoparticles are anchored in the functional membranes.
• Release of silver nanoparticles is reduced by using the graft polymers.
• Functional membranes show excellent antibacterial activity.

Functional poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes anchored with silver nanoparticles are prepared using PVDF blended with its grafted polymers (PVDF-g-poly(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate) and PVDF-g-polyvinyl acetate). Structure and properties of the functional membranes with varied silver contents are studied by X-ray diffraction pattern, scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurement. Mechanical property is recorded using a material testing machine. It is showed that the membrane with 1% silver contents has highest toughness. Release of silver nanoparticle is measured using UV spectroscopy. And it is found that the grafted polymers can stabilize the silver nanoparticle and reduce its releasing. Silver nanoparticle obtained is about 20 nm, which makes the functional membranes to exhibit excellent antibacterial activity.