Mosquito repellent microporous polyolefin strands

Abstract

Pyrogenic silica and organoclay nanocomposite strands containing liquid mosquito repellents were prepared by twinscrew extrusion compounding. The mosquito repellents DEET and Icaridin were immobilized in the pores of a microporous polyolefin matrix. The nature and levels of the repellent and nanofiller employed affected the material phase morphology. The repellent release was followed as a function of ageing time in convection ovens set at 50 qC. The release rates were a described by a mathematical model that considered the microporous internal structure. In most cases, the integral skin covering the strands determined the repellent release rate. The implication of these findings is that Icaridin is an attractive candidate for long-lasting wearable mosquito repellent devices.