Antibacterial Compound Based on Silicone Rubber and ZnO and TiO2 Nanoparticles for the Food and Pharmaceutic Industries. Part I – Obtaining and Characterisation

Taking into account the progress in science and technology, it has been and is still necessary to develop new innovative and high-performance materials. Globally, obtaining new advanced polymeric structures based on nanopowder-reinforced elastomers, with highperformance properties, offers possibilities for developing new materials and expanding their field of application. At present, polymeric materials occupy a very important place in all areas of human activity, being part more and more of everyday life. The need to develop new materials with high-performance properties led to this paper, which describes the obtaining and characterization of a compound with antibacterial properties based on silicone rubber (silicone elastomer - ELASTOSIL) reinforced with nanoparticles with antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties (ZnO and TiO2). The dispersion of nanoparticles in the mass of the elastomeric compound has a decisive role in influencing its antimicrobial and antibacterial sterilization properties. The elastomeric compound based on silicone rubber with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties is obtained by vulcanization, and is characterized from a physical-mechanical, chemical and structural point of view, according to the standards in force. The antibacterial elastomeric compound reinforced with nanoparticles has potential uses in the food and pharmaceutical fields.