Facile synthesis of elemental silver by the seed nucleus embedding method for antibacterial applications

The preparation method of Silver (Ag)-loaded cellulose paper based on the formation of seed nuclei has been proposed as a functional material with high antibacterial performance. Metal palladium (Pd) was employed for the formation of seed nuclei, followed by sodium potassium tartrate tetrahydrate reduction to create Pd–Ag-cellulose paper. The properties in term of micro morphology, distribution of silver particles, antibacterial activity and silver release behavior were investigated. The results verified the formation of Pd-nucleus on surface of fiber, and revealed that silver particles were steadily deposited on the fibers based on the seed nuclei embedded. Pd–Ag-cellulose paper, comparing with Ag-cellulose paper produced with direct deposition method, exhibited a thick closely silver layer and uniform distribution of silver particles. The antibacterial test indicated that the lethality rate of Pd–Ag-cellulose paper against E. coli is 99.92% which is very close to that of Ag-cellulose paper (99.93%). Nevertheless, the silver release regression equation provided a high slope value (0.075) to Ag-cellulose paper, which explains a rapid release of silver. Pd–Ag-cellulose paper, by contrast, the slope value is only 0.021, and that indicates the silver slower release was achieved. Ag-loaded cellulose paper prepared using the proposed method shows the prominent properties in silver loading, antibacterial and silver slow-release.