Novel antibacterial hybrid materials based on polyvinyl alcohol and mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane with embedded silver nanoparticles (PVA/AgNps/MPTES)

Hybrid materials based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPTES) with embedded silver nanoparticles (AgNps) have been synthesized via a sol-gel method. Silver nanoparticles were obtained via thermal reduction in the presence of PVA as a stabilizer and reducing agent. The formation of silver nanoparticles within the PVA/MPTES matrix was proven by FTIR, XRD, and TEM analysis. The antibacterial activity of PVA/AgNps/MPTES materials was determined against strains belonging to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by disk diffusion and growth curve methods. The hybrid materials showed high antibacterial activity, which depends on the concentration of the silver nanoparticles. (C) 2014 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.