Radiant Reinforcement: Enhancing Composite Polymer Magnet Materials Mechanical Properties with UVC Medical Disinfection

Abstract

Magnetic polymer composites have recently attracted considerable interest, primarily because of their promising applications, especially in the biomedical industry. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation as a disinfection method on the mechanical characteristics of composite polymer magnets. Tensile and compression tests were conducted following the standards set by ASTM D3039 and ASTM D3410, respectively. In addition, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was used to determine the effect of the disinfection method on the amount of carbon, oxygen, and iron within the surface of the composite polymer magnet material. The UVC’s irradiation impact was statistically assessed by a t-test. The results of the tensile tests demonstrated a significant increase in the transition force, measuring 0.41 kN and 0.58 kN before and after UVC exposure, respectively. Similarly, the outcomes of the compression tests showed a notable increase in yield force, registering 4.9 kN and 6 kN before and after UVC treatment. This suggests that the composite magnetic material has gained a higher capacity to withstand compressive loads than tensile loads. Finally, the EDS analysis revealed the carbon mass percentage was 71.69% prior to UVC radiation exposure, with it increasing to 78.56%, following exposure. This suggests that the composite material exhibited improved hardness. These findings highlight that UVC irradiation has a beneficial impact on both the mechanical and chemical properties of the composite magnet material, which support its use as a disinfection method in clinical settings.