• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.194-198
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• 2006

Polystyrene, PS, particles of 450 nm diameter and poly(styrene-co-styrene sulfonate), PSS, particles of 140-160 nm diameter were prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. The surfaces of the PS and PSS particles were coated with Ag nanoparticles for the application of antimicrobial agents by reduction of Ag ions using ${\gamma}$-irradiation. The Ag-PS and Ag-PSS were characterized by High-Resolution Transmittance Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS). The HR-TEM and EDXS data showed that the Ag nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of the PS and PSS particles, respectively. The antimicrobial efficiency of the Ag-PS and Ag-PSS particles (0.4 g) with ca. 100 ppm Ag, which was coated onto yam (KS K 0905-1996 rule), was tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 4352 after 100 washing cycles (KS K 0432-1999 rule). The antimicrobial efficiency of the Ag-PS particles against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 4352 was 99.9% after 100 cycles washing., confirming that the Ag-PS particles can be used as antimicrobial agents.