Obtención de microesferas de poli(estireno) con propiedades magnéticas

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to obtain a polymeric material composed of poly (styrene) microspheres that preserve the magnetic and antibacterial characteristics of the iron oxide particles incorporated into it. The methodology applied to this objective was composed of three stages. First, iron oxide particles were synthesized by the controlled co-precipitation method, and characterized by the techniques of: VSM, DLS, AFM, TGA, DSC, FT-IR, UV-VIS and DRX. Second, the iron oxide particles were incorporated into a poly(styrene) polymer matrix throughout a suspension polymerization reaction. Finally, the ultimate composite polymeric material was characterized by the following techniques: VSM, DLS and SEM. As well as, its antimicrobial activity was evaluated towards the strain of microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus. Based on the results obtained, it was determined that the iron oxide particles had a superparamagnetic behavior with a bimodal size distribution. With respect to its chemical composition, it is suggested that the particles obtained correspond to iron oxides with not established percentages of magnetite, hematite and ferrihydrite. In the same way, the composite polymer material had a bimodal size distribution. The visualized morphology has been irregular, but it is seen that it has incorporated iron oxide particles inside it. The particles also retained the its original superparamagnetic behavior. It was reduced in intensity by the action of the polymer matrix, which has also endowed the final material with a diamagnetic behavior. Finally, the composite polymer material did not present any antibacterial action towards the Staphylococcus aureus strain; however, the incorporated particles have demonstrated a bacteriostatic response showing 12 mm inhibition halos.