Preparation of Antibacterial and Strengthened High-Density Polyethylene Composites via Compounding with Silver Ion Glass Microbead-Loaded Basalt Fiber

Nowadays, HDPE water pipe has been used in massive quantities, which brings many conveniences to human beings but also raises problem of susceptible to bacterial contamination. Thus, we described a simple and feasible way to design cost-efficient and antibacterial HDPE pipes with excellent mechanical properties. A basalt fiber (BF) and silver ion glass microbead (AgGB) were coupled by 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane to form a compound antibacterial agent. Then, the obtained AgGB@BF was melt-mixed with HDPE to produce antibacterial composite. By means of BF surface modification, the AgGB dispersivity in HDPE matrix was obviously improved. The adding of AgGB@BF would simultaneously increase the thermal decomposition temperature and crystallinity of HDPE composites. And, the crystallinity of HDPE could reach the maximum value of 66.3% under a high-pressure condition. The mechanical strength of resultant HDPE composite increased from 17 to 25 MPa. Meanwhile, a long-term and excellent antibacterial property of the HDPE composite was obtained against Escherichia coli. The proposed antibacterial materials can provide a way for designing and preparing eco-friendly and high-performance HDPE pipe products.

Automated summary

The study presented a method to design antibacterial HDPE pipes by modifying surface and adding composite antibacterial agents. The newly added antibacterial materials improved the thermal decomposition temperature, crystallinity, and mechanical strength of HDPE composites, and exhibited excellent long-term antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli.