1. Antimicrobial Agents (Core Functional Ingredients):
These are the key components that endow the final product with antimicrobial capabilities. Common antimicrobial agents include:
Inorganic Antimicrobial Agents: Such as silver ions, zinc ions, and copper ions. These agents achieve their antimicrobial effect by disrupting the cellular structures of microorganisms or inhibiting enzymatic activity. They offer high safety and excellent thermal stability, making them the current mainstream choice.
Organic Antimicrobial Agents: Such as quaternary ammonium salts, phenols, alcohols, etc. These agents exhibit rapid bactericidal action; however, they may present issues such as poor thermal stability, susceptibility to decomposition, and potential toxicity.
Natural Antimicrobial Agents: Such as chitosan. These are eco-friendly and non-toxic, but they typically possess a narrower antimicrobial spectrum and poor thermal stability, resulting in less frequent application.
2. Carrier Resin (Matrix):
This serves as the "vehicle" that carries the antimicrobial agents; it requires excellent compatibility with the base resin of the final plastic product being manufactured. For instance, if the final product is made of PP, the carrier resin for the antimicrobial masterbatch is typically also selected to be PP, ensuring seamless integration during the processing stage.
3. Dispersants and Additives:
These agents facilitate the uniform dispersion of the antimicrobial agents within the carrier resin, preventing agglomeration and ensuring consistent, stable antimicrobial performance in the final product.
Properties: Nano-scale antimicrobial action, sterilization, mold resistance, deodorization, and self-cleaning capabilities. By incorporating a small amount of nanomaterials-such as nano-silver, nano-zinc oxide, nano-copper oxide, or nano-titanium dioxide-during the manufacturing process, a wide variety of products can be endowed with these added functional benefits: antimicrobial activity, sterilization, mold resistance, deodorization, and self-cleaning properties.
