Effect of silver nanoparticles prepared by plasma method on properties of papers made from Kraft pulp

A need for control of pathogenic microorganisms in contaminated environments has motivated to prepare the products including antibacterial papers resisting against growth of such creatures. Different methods and materials have been used to make these papers. The purpose of current research is to fabricate silver nanoparticle by means of plasma method and investigate the effect of adding it to the Kraft pulp on the properties of resulting papers. To do this, silver nanoparticles have been fabricated in optimized conditions of 1 kHz frequency, 2 A current and 4 kV voltage, using an instrument developed in Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University. The DLS test confirmed the average size of silver particles at nano scale ( 41.2 nm). Then, the prepared silver nanoparticles were added by levels of 0, 25, 50 and 75 ppm to the Kraft pulp accompanying by cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) as a retention aid to about 0.05 based on oven dry of fibers. The results of paper properties evaluation (having basis weight 60±3 g/m2) have shown that addition of silver nanoparticles synthesized by plasma method lead to loss of paper strength characteristics. The paper brightness has also exhibited a meaningful decrease. However, the paper opacity and antibacterial property develop significantly in the consumption levels higher than 50 ppm.