Syndiotactic polystyrene films with a cocrystalline phase including carvacrol guest molecules. Issue 9 (24th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Albunia, Alexandra R.; Rizzo, Paola; Ianniello, Graziella; Rufolo, Claudia; Guerra, Gaetano
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 52:Issue 9(2014:May 01)
• Page Start: 657
• Page End: 665
• Publication Date: 2014-02-24
• Subjects: 547
• DOI: 10.1002/polb.23464
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-6266

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>A monoclinic δ‐clathrate form of syndiotactic polystyrene (s‐PS) with carvacrol (a relevant natural phenolic antimicrobial) has been prepared and characterized by X‐ray diffraction. Very informative are Fourier transform infrared spectra, in particular their OH stretching region that shows a narrow peak and a broad band, corresponding to carvacrol molecules being isolated guest of the co‐crystalline phase or dissolved in the amorphous phase, respectively. Analogous spectral features allow discriminating, for many different s‐PS guests, between molecules being in crystalline or in amorphous phases. s‐PS co‐crystalline films with carvacrol molecules being prevailingly (more than 90%) guest of the co‐crystalline phase have been prepared, even for high carvacrol content (up to 10–11 wt %). The location of most antimicrobial molecules in the crystalline phase assures a decrease of desorption diffusivity of two to three orders and hence long‐term antimicrobial release. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. <bold>2014</bold>, <italic>52</italic>, 657–665</p> </abstract>