Use of geopolymers as tunable and sustained silver ion release mediums

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Kara İ.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol.14, no.8606, pp.1-11, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14 Issue: 8606
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1038/s41598-024-59310-1
  • Journal Name: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-11
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Silver was incorporated up to 3.4% (w/w) into the geopolymer structure via precipitation as Ag2O by dispersing the geopolymer powder in an aqueous solution of AgNO3. The precipitates were mainly located in the fine pores within the nanoparticles of the geopolymer network. The fine pores enabled the formation of very fine precipitates, mainly between 2 and 5 nm. The silver- incorporated geopolymer was found to have a sustained Ag+ release that can be tuned down by a thermal treatment, e.g., calcination. The Ag+ release amount could be reduced by about 30-fold after calcination at 850 °C. Calcination reduces the specific surface area, causes shrinkage, and makes the geopolymer structure less pervious. The size of the precipitates remains stable even up to 1050 °C, despite a large amount of sintering-related shrinkage. These results suggest that geopolymers could be a tunable Ag+ source for various antibacterial applications.