furniture cushions in the health care sector, foam padding in health care clothing, foam filter in water treatment, foam filter in air purification and many more applications where antimicrobial properties are necessary.
4.5.2. Anti-fungal properties
Fig. 11 shows anti-fungal test results of treated and control NRLF samples against Aspergilles niger fungi. It can be seen that the fungi grows even on the top of the agar layer of the control sample, while the treated sample has a clear inhibition zone on the top of the agar layer.
5. Conclusions
Preparation of silver nanoparticles via the chemical reduction method of silver nitrate by tri-sodium citrate in an aqueous medium is the best method to synthesis stable alkaline solution of silver nanocolloid. The silver nano- colloid prepared by this method was found to exhibit high stability. Incorporation of alkaline solution of silver nano- particles into compound to make natural rubber latex foam can enhance the antibacterial activities of the resultant NRLF samples. Moreover, the modified natural rubber latex foam gave anti-fungal properties which were absent in the control NRLF samples. The treated NRLF by SNP can be used as antifungal natural rubber latex foam.
Acknowledgement
The Research University Grant (RU grant, 1001/PBAHAN/
814129). Universiti Sains Malaysia is gratefully acknowl- edged by the author for the financial support to his Ph.D studies.