Abstract
The characteristics of dopamine self-polymerization were used to cover the nano-titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) surface and produce nano-titanium dioxide-polydopamine (TiO(2)-PDA). The reducing nature of dopamine was then used to reduce silver nitrate to silver elemental particles on the modified nano-titanium dioxide: The resulting TiO(2)-PDA-Ag nanoparticles were used as antimicrobial agents. Finally, the antibacterial agent was mixed with silicone to obtain an antibacterial silicone composite material. The composition and structure of antibacterial agents were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron energy spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Microscopy and the antibacterial properties of the silicone antibacterial composites were studied as well. The TiO(2)-PDA-Ag antimicrobial agent had good dispersion versus nano-TiO(2). The three were strongly combined with obvious characteristic peaks. The antibacterial agents were evenly dispersed in silicone, and the silicone composite has excellent antibacterial properties. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) adhesion was reduced from 246 × 10(4) cfu/cm(2) to 2 × 10(4) cfu/cm(2), and colibacillus (E. coli) reduced from 228 × 10(4) cfu/cm(2) leading to bacteria-free adhesion.