Preparation of Conductive Antibacterial Film of Organoclay Origin

Abstract

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of novel conductive

antibacterial thin films derived from Kashikoko and Kaffin-Koro biopolymers, modified with phenylamine and silver nitrate. The average

thickness of the films was measured to be 0.33 mm for Kashikoko/PA, 0.40 mm for Kashikoko/CMC/EG, and 0.30 mm for Kaffin Koro/PA, demonstrating their structural integrity. Electrical conductivity measurements revealed that the  Kashikoko/PA/0.3 sample exhibited the highest conductivity at 1818 S/cm, while the Kashikoko/PA/1.0 sample recorded a lower conductivity of 950 S/cm. Antimicrobial  efficacy was assessed by measuring the inhibition zones against E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus. The results showed that the Kashikoko/CMC/EG/PA/1g/AgNO3 exhibited the largest inhibition zone of 34 mm against E. coli. At the same time, the Kaffin Koro/CMC/EG/PA/0.2/AgNO3 displayed a zone of inhibition ranging from 19-36 mm across all tested pathogens, with the highest activity against S. aureus (36 mm). These findings indicate that the developed nanocomposite films possess significant electrical conductivity and antimicrobial properties, making them suitable for applications in active food packaging and biomedical fields.