Project Abstract:

The Project is focused on the achieving of competitive UV-cured polymer - metal nanoparticle hybrid coatings with predictable antimicrobial or sealing features through a one-pot synthesis approach in order to achieve simple, economically feasible and green nanomaterials with advanced properties. The project aimed to design and develop novel nanocomposites materials comprising mixtures of bimetallic or metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (0.5-10 wt. %) and photopolymerizable monomers prepared by UV/vis irradiation. Through an adequate combination, wide opportunities for tuning the physical characteristics and implicit the optimum properties for specific applications of the resulting nanoparticles can be accomplished. However, the high affinity to agglomerate or aggregate manifested by metal nanoparticles imposed the use of organic polymer templates conveniently functionalized with hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, silane or thiol groups able to prevent the unwanted interactions between NPs and to provide versatile hybrid composite coatings. Other target refers to the synthesis of new photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate monomers derived from renewable sources such as gelatin or vegetable oils-based materials to develop “green” coatings susceptible for further functionalization. Consequently, the proposed topic demands the synthesis of novel photoreactive monomers and oligomers functionalized with specific sequences, in situ preparation of metal nanoparticles (e.g. Ag-Au, Au-Cu or Ag-Cu) or their ex situ synthesis (TiO2, ZnO) followed by an appropriate functionalization, realization and characterization of hybrid nanocomposite coatings, as well as the testing of their applicability perspectives.