Abstract
<jats:p>Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a versatile polymeric material widely utilized across various sectors, including engineering, food packinging, and medical applications. How-ever, PET inherently lacks the capability to prevent or eliminate microorganism prolifera-tion on its surface and surrounding area. Consequently, endowing PET with anti-infective properties presents a challenge, owing to its inherent properties and chemical structure. Thankfully, several chemical strategies can be deployed to functionalize the surface of PET, enabling the eradication of microorganisms. In this study, PET films underwent functionalization through gamma-ray-induced grafting of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) (PNVCL). This process facilitated the loading and stabilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the grafted PET films and addition provided thermal-responsiveness. Char-acterization of these novel PET-based materials revealed increased surface hydrophilicity without significant alterations in surface morphology or mechanical properties. The an-timicrobial capacity of AgNPs was evaluated against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at various temperatures.</jats:p>