The increasing demand for biocompatible and infection-resistant surgical implants has driven research towards surface modifications of polymeric materials. This thesis investigates the functionalization of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surgical meshes with bentonite-based nanocomposites to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy and drug delivery potential. The modified meshes were prepared using combinations of bentonite nanoparticles with silver nanoparticles, Levofloxacin, and propolis. Comprehensive characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and antimicrobial activity assays against various bacterial strains. Additionally, the diffusion behavior of the therapeutic agents through the bacterial membranes was modeled using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of bentonite-based composites significantly improved the antimicrobial properties of the PVDF meshes while maintaining their structural integrity and biocompatibility. This study provides insights into the development of advanced surgical materials with sustained drug release capabilities, offering potential applications in infection-prone medical procedures. Antibiotic resistance increases each year, and for this reason, researchers have focused on creating new types of materials able to combat bacteria and fungi. The use of systemic antimicrobials has increased in recent years for the treatment of skin infections; however, these drugs come with a risk of side effects such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, and the development of antibiotic resistance in the microbiota of the intestines. The main aim of this work was to integrate these four composites and study their antimicrobial activity properties. The panel of bacterial cultures included Staphylococcus aureus 1199, Staphylococcus aureus 1199B, and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 14990) and a clinical isolate (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and they were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the prepared samples. The designed nanocomposites showed high activity against all of the test cultures compared with that of the non-modified meshes. A high inhibition zone was exhibited for NB@LVF@AgNP@P (55 ± 0.5 mm) when it was tested with Staphylococcus aureus 1199 and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 14990.
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Modification of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Surgical Meshes with Bentonite-Based Nanocomposites for Enhanced Antimicrobial Performance and Drug Delivery Applications
Published:
19 May 2025
by MDPI
in The 4th International Electronic Conference on Antibiotics
session Multidisciplinary Antimicrobial Strategies: Materials, Peptides, Bacteriophages and Repurposing
Abstract:
Keywords: PVDF meshes, bentonite nanoparticles, antimicrobial activity, silver nanoparticles, Levofloxacin, propolis, drug diffusion modeling, COMSOL Multiphysics.
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