Excellent Antibacterial Properties of Silver/Silica-Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Transparent Film

Transparent films with excellent antibacterial properties and strong mechanical properties are highly sought after in packaging applications. In this study, Ag/SiO₂ nanoparticles were introduced into a mixed solution of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a Ag/SiO₂-CS-PVA transparent film was developed. The excellent properties of the film were confirmed by light transmittance, water contact angle tests and tensile tests. In addition, for the antibacterial test, the antibacterial properties of the sample against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) were explored, and the average size of the bacteriostatic circle was measured by the cross method. The final results show that Ag/SiO₂-CS-PVA transparent film has the advantages of good antibacterial properties, high transparency and high mechanical strength.