A novel approach to the production of polymer products with enhanced antimicrobial effect and high UV aging resistance

Herein, a novel approach was developed for the introduction of stabilizing compounds into polymers through a pre-impregnation process prior to processing, which is expected to improve their dispersion and, consequently, increase their efficacy. Ethylene-norbornene copolymer (EN) pellets were impregnated with quercetin or rutin in ethanol or a mixture of solvents (ethanol-dioxane (3:1)) for 24 h. Then, EN-based samples containing impregnated pellets were manufactured using a laboratory extruder. The research demonstrated that the materials containing impregnated pellets exhibited improved thermo-oxidation resistance, higher antibacterial effect (the number of dead cells increased from 8 to 59%), and satisfactory photostability. This may be a direct result of their better dispersion degree and their more gradual, controlled release from the EN during operation. If we compare the stabilizing effect of both polyphenols, quercetin was more efficient, which may be attributed to the presence of hydroxyl group at the C3 position in the C ring, which could increase the reactivity of the catechol structure of the B ring. The proposed approach effectively solves the issues that arise during the commonly used processing techniques and may facilitate the broader utilization of natural stabilizers in the polymer industry.