Neoprene is an ideal material for making pickle ball racket covers because of its acid and alkali resistance, wear resistance, and good flexibility. However, the pickle production environment is rich in salt, acidic substances, and various microorganisms. If the racket cover lacks antibacterial ability, it is easy to breed bacteria, mold and other microorganisms, which not only affects the quality of pickles, but also may threaten food safety. Therefore, it is particularly important to treat the neoprene pickle ball racket cover with antibacterial treatment. The application of multiple processes can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms and extend the service life of the racket cover.
The antibacterial agent addition method is to evenly mix the antibacterial agent into the chloroprene rubber raw material to make it have inherent antibacterial properties. Commonly used antibacterial agents include organic antibacterial agents and inorganic antibacterial agents. Organic antibacterial agents such as quaternary ammonium salts and biguanides can destroy the bacterial cell membrane structure and interfere with cell metabolism, thereby achieving a bactericidal effect. The addition amount is usually controlled between 0.5% and 2%. Silver-based antibacterial agents are the most common inorganic antibacterial agents. Silver ions can bind to enzyme proteins in bacteria, inhibit enzyme activity, prevent bacterial reproduction, and have long-lasting antibacterial properties and safety. The addition ratio is generally 0.3%-1.5%. During the mixing process, the temperature, time and speed of the mixing equipment are precisely controlled to ensure that the antibacterial agent is evenly dispersed, so that the chloroprene rubber can obtain antibacterial ability from the inside and inhibit the growth of microorganisms it contacts.
The application of nanotechnology has brought breakthroughs in the antibacterial treatment of chloroprene rubber. Adding nano-level antibacterial materials such as nano-titanium dioxide and nano-zinc oxide to chloroprene rubber can significantly enhance the antibacterial effect due to the huge specific surface area and unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials. Under light conditions, nano-titanium dioxide will produce free radicals with strong oxidizing properties, which can destroy the cell wall and cell membrane of bacteria and play a bactericidal role; nano-zinc oxide can react with the sulfhydryl group on the surface of bacteria to interfere with the normal physiological activities of bacteria. Through a special dispersion process, the nanomaterials are evenly dispersed in the rubber matrix to form a stable composite system, which improves the antibacterial performance of the racket cover by 30%-50%, while not affecting the physical and mechanical properties of the rubber itself.
Surface coating treatment is to coat a thin film with antibacterial function on the surface of the neoprene racket cover. Commonly used coating materials include chitosan coating, polyurethane antibacterial coating, etc. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide with good film-forming and antibacterial properties. The amino group in its molecular structure can be adsorbed on the surface of bacteria, change the permeability of the cell membrane, and inhibit bacterial growth. The polyurethane antibacterial coating is made by adding antibacterial agents to polyurethane resin. The coating can not only give the racket cover antibacterial properties, but also improve its wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The coating material is evenly coated on the surface of the racket cover through spraying, dipping and other processes. After curing, a dense antibacterial protective layer is formed, which effectively blocks the invasion of external microorganisms. At the same time, the coating has good adhesion to the rubber surface and is not easy to fall off.
Plasma treatment uses high-energy particles in plasma to react physically and chemically with the surface of neoprene pickle ball racket cover to modify the surface and improve the antibacterial performance. In a vacuum environment, specific gases (such as oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) are introduced to generate plasma through discharge. The active particles in the plasma collide with the molecules on the rubber surface, introducing hydrophilic groups or antibacterial groups and changing the surface chemical properties. At the same time, plasma treatment can also form tiny rough structures on the rubber surface to increase the adhesion area of the antibacterial agent. After plasma treatment, combined with antibacterial agent coating or impregnation, the antibacterial efficiency of the racket cover can be greatly improved, and the treatment process is environmentally friendly and has little effect on the rubber performance.
Single antibacterial treatment processes often have limitations. In order to achieve better antibacterial effects, composite antibacterial processes are often used. For example, the antibacterial agent is first mixed into the chloroprene rubber raw material to make the rubber have intrinsic antibacterial properties, and then the surface is coated to build an external protective barrier; or nanotechnology modification and plasma treatment are combined to synergistically improve the antibacterial performance from the two levels of internal enhancement and surface modification. The composite process can give full play to the advantages of different methods, make up for the shortcomings of a single process, make the antibacterial performance of the racket cover more durable and efficient, and take into account other performance requirements to meet the needs of the complex environment of kimchi production.
The antibacterial treatment process of neoprene pickle ball racket cover is diverse, including antibacterial agent addition, nanotechnology modification, surface coating treatment, plasma treatment and composite antibacterial process. These processes enhance the antibacterial ability of the racket cover from multiple dimensions inside and outside, effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms, and ensure food safety in the kimchi production process. In practical applications, it is necessary to reasonably select or combine antibacterial treatment processes according to production needs, cost budgets and performance requirements to produce kimchi racket covers with excellent performance, safety and reliability.
