Publication: Comparison of different types of latex on mechanical properties of antimicrobial latex films for stethoscope Diaphragm Cover Application
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Date
2024-08-01
Authors
Nurhusnina Kamillia Binti Wan Chik
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Abstract
Stethoscope remains an indispensable tool in clinical practice. It is used by healthcare professionals across various specialties. However, the stethoscopes due to their direct contact with patients' skin, can become vectors for microbial transmission. This study aims the effect of antimicrobial agents such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex (PVP-I) and grape seed extract (GSE) into natural rubber (NR) latex films and their effects on mechanical properties before, after aging. Besides, to assess the mechanical properties on strong antimicrobial agent with polyisoprene (PI) latex and nitrile butadiene rubber latex (NBR) for stethoscope diaphragm cover application. The antibacterial efficacy of these agents was evaluated using agar diffusion assays, revealing that ZnONPs at 0.5 phr exhibited strong antibacterial activity and significantly inhibited bacterial growth. PVP-I and GSE demonstrated moderate efficacy. Mechanical testing showed that leached samples generally had higher tensile strength and modulus values. This was compared to unleached samples with GSE-loaded films exhibiting the highest initial tensile strength. However, all samples experienced notable reductions in mechanical properties upon thermal aging. ZnONPs provided the best balance between antibacterial activity and mechanical integrity. Additionally tear strength of ZnONPs was tested in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and polyisoprene (PI) matrices. Results indicated PI with ZnONPs exhibited superior tear strength. This was compared to NBR with ZnONPs in both leached and unleached conditions. This suggests that PI, combined with ZnONPs is most suitable latex for applications requiring high mechanical durability and robust antimicrobial properties. The findings indicate that ZnONPs are effective for applications requiring robust antimicrobial protection. PI with ZnONPs demonstrates the best overall performance.