Poly (ethylene terephthalate) nonwoven fabrics-based membranes modified by electrospinning of thermoplastic polyurethane, nano SiO2 and Ag particles as medical packing materials

Aiming at development of novel medical packings, poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)-based membranes with hydrophobic and antibacterial properties were prepared by electrostatic spinning of a blend of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), nano SiO 2 and Ag particles on PET nonwoven. In cooperation with electro-spun TPU/SiO 2 layer, the water contact angle (WCA) of PET nonwoven fabric was improved from 60° to 115–130°, and the water vapour transmission rate was 2200–2500 g/m 2 /24 h. It indicates that the modified PET nonwoven membrane exhibits a much better water resistance, highly increased hydrophobicity and moderate water permeability. Nano-silver provided excellent antibacterial properties for this non-cytotoxic PET/TPU/SiO 2 /Ag composite membranes. The PET/TPU/SiO 2 /Ag composite membranes had high mechanical properties, which exhibited a tensile strength of 56 MPa in the longitudinal direction and 35 MPa in the transversal direction, and tear strength of 30 kN/m in the longitudinal direction and 48 kN/m in the transversal direction. This new PET/TPU/SiO 2 /Ag composite membranes showed broad application prospects in the medical packaging industry.