A. Balčiūnaitienė “Development and investigation of antimicrobial polydimethylsiloxane composites” doctoral thesis defence

Author, Institution: Aistė Balčiūnaitienė, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field of science: Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering, 08T

Scientific Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Virginija Jankauskaitė (Kaunas University of Technology,
Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering – 08T.

Dissertation Defence Board of Materials Engineering Science Field:
Prof. Dr. Habil. Juozas Vidas Gražulevičius (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering – 08T) – chairman;
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erika Adomavičiūtė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering – 08T);
Dr. Radostina Alexandrova (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Biology 01B);
Prof. Dr. Daiva Mikučionienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Materials Engineering – 08T);
Prof. Dr. Pranas Viškelis (Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T).

The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio St. 20, Kaunas).

Annotation:

Modification of polymeric composites by mixing with fillers is one of the simplest methods of changing the properties of polymers or providing new ones. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has poor mechanical properties and microcrystalline cellulose has been used to improve it. Cellulose particles of different sizes and shapes have been selected for research. The influence of cellulose type on the structure, surface, thermal and other properties of PDMS were investigated.
Also, the functionality of biocompatible PDMS can be enhanced by modifying it with derivatives that have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial properties for different bacterial cultures. It is known from the scientific literature that nanoparticles with silver nanostructures have the highest activity.
Medicinal plants of various tribes accumulate compounds of different groups with diverse biological effects. Medicinal plants can be a source of new drugs, but research on these plants is needed to better understand their chemical composition, evaluate antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, the functionalization of cellulose particles on polyphenols contained in medicinal plant extracts and their antibacterial activity and influence on polydimethylsiloxane properties was investigated.