In-Situ surface modification of terpinen-4-ol plasma polymers for increased antibacterial activity
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Surface modification of thin films is often performed to enhance their properties. In this work, in situ modification of Terpinen-4-ol (T4) plasma polymer is carried out via simultaneous surface functionalization and nanoparticle immobilization. Terpinen-4-ol plasma polymers surface were decorated with a layer of ZnO nanoparticles in an oxygen plasma environment immediately after polymer deposition. A combination of hydrophilic modification and ZnO nanoparticle functionalization of the T4 polymer surface led to an enhancement in antibacterial properties by factor of 3 (from 0.75 to 0.25 CFU. mm-2). In addition, ZnO nanoparticle-modified coatings demonstrated improved UV absorbing characteristics in the region of 300-400 nm by 60% relative to unmodified coatings. The ZnO modified coatings were transparent in the visible region of 400-700 nm. The finding points towards the potential use of ZnO nanoparticle-modified T4 plasma polymers as optically transparent UV absorbing coatings.
Journal
Materials
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Volume
13
ISBN/ISSN
1996-1944
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Issue
3
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Publisher
MDPI Publishers
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EISSN
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DOI
10.3390/ma13030586