Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Antimicrobial properties of polymer materials are required in many applications. The polyethylene/superabsorbent polymer (PE/SAP) blends containing silver nanoparticles were successfully prepared via thermal reduction during melt mixing. It was found that in situ formed silver nanoparticles are preferentially located at the interface between PE matrix and SAP particles. The expectation was that the low water uptake of the PE will be enhanced by blending with a SAP and thus the silver ion release from the material will increase. Surprisingly, the silver ion release was markedly suppressed by the addition of SAP. This finding is explained by the preferential sorption of silver ions by the SAP particles. <jats:boxed-text content-type="graphic" position="anchor"><jats:graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" mimetype="image/jpeg" position="anchor" specific-use="enlarged-web-image" xlink:href="graphic/mgra001.jpg"><jats:alt-text>magnified image</jats:alt-text></jats:graphic></jats:boxed-text></jats:p>