Antibacterial and mechanical properties of the TiO2/ABS composites

Abstract

The aim of this present work is to enhance photoantibacterial performance on a surface of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) by mixing titanium dioxide (TiO2). The influences of different ratios for TiO2 under UV light irradiation were investigated according to JIS Z 2801: 2010 standard. 0.5%, 1% and 2% TiO2/ABS were formed by melting process with internal mixer and compression molding process. E.coli were chosen as a model of bacteria. The best photoantibacterial activity was provided by 0.5% TiO2/ABS. The result showed that E.coli could reduce up to 46.95%. However, a higher amount of TiO2 (i.e., 1% and 2% TiO2/ABS) obstructed the reaction, and E.coli was reduced to 42.6% and 36.08%, respectively. This was due to its aggregation observed from SEM image. For mechanical properties for TiO2/ABS, The results showed that tensile modulus and tensile strength of blending TiO2 at 0.5 %wt was the highest but the tensile was decreased when increasing TiO2 in polymer blended.