Antimicrobial activity of Ag0-nanocomposite copolymer of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with sodium acrylate

Hydrophilic copolymer was obtained by radical copolymerization of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with sodium acrylate and used as a stabilizing matrix for metallic silver nanoparticles. The synthesis of metallopolymer nanocomposite was performed by chemical reduction of silver ions up to the zerovalent state. The formation of the metallic phase in the nanoscale state was confirmed by UV spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Silver nanoparticles have the sizes of 2–12 nm and are uniformly distributed in the volume of the polymer matrix. Antimicrobial activity of the initial copolymer and polymer nanocomposite in relation to grampositive and gram-negative microorganisms was studied. It was found that the obtained nanocomposite is characterized by a high antimicrobial activity: bacteriostatic concentration varies in the range from 0.5 to 8 g mL–1, the bactericidal concentration is from 1 to 18 g mL–1.