Synthesis and antibacterial behavior of bio-composite materials-based on poly(ε-caprolactone)/bentonite

Abstract Several clay minerals as inorganic fillers were incorporated to aliphatic polyester by various procedures. The target of enhancing the physicochemical properties of the resulting composite material leading thereby to overcome the limitations of neat polyesters. Still, bentonite (Bnt) as a clay mineral has been relatively unexplored as a reinforcing agent of the poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL). In this study, a bio-nanocomposite based on poly(e-caprolactone) & bentonite nanofiller was prepared by in-situ ring opening polymerization (ROP) of e-caprolactone (e-CL) under open air using tin-based catalyst. The obtained bio-composites (PCL-OBnt) were fully characterized to examine their structural interactions, thermal stability, mechanical, and morphological properties. Finally, the antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis and S. aureus of the prepared bio-composites materials was evaluated.