Effect of nanometer zinc oxide and processing technology on the properties of antibacterial composites

With the increasing concern for health and safety, it is crucial to investigate how antibacterial agents demonstrate high antibacterial activity in two-phase blend systems. In this study, we prepared antibacterial films comprising a low concentration (0.2%) zinc oxide/ethylene-octene copolymer (ZnO/POE) and ZnO/linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) with high antibacterial activity (99.9%) and an antibacterial property value ( R ) of 6.9. The addition of nanometer (nano) ZnO induces the crystallization of pure materials, increasing their crystallinity and long period and significantly reducing spherulite size. Using a two-phase blending process, we achieved an antibacterial activity of (ZnO/POE)/(ZnO/LLDPE) (0.2%) of 99.9% with an R -value of 6.9, superior to the single-phase blending of POE/(ZnO/LLDPE) (0.2%) (99.0%, R = 2.0). Significantly, this difference can be attributed to the fact that nano-ZnO promotes the compatibility of POE and LLDPE in the two-phase blending process. Additionally, the two-phase blending process enhances tear strength and light transmittance compared to single-phase blending. These findings are of great significance for developing nano-ZnO-based two-phase blend antibacterial materials with low concentration and high antibacterial activity.