Material with bacteriostatic properties

A method for producing a composite material comprising a porous polymer matrix in which silver nanoparticles are dispersed, this method comprising the following steps:

• (a) mixing two compositions in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and at least one alcohol to form a mixture, wherein the compositions comprise:
• (i) a first composition comprising a polymerizable fluid comprising HEMA monomer, wherein the HEMA monomer is present in the polymerizable fluid composition in monomer form, and
• (ii) a second composition comprising silver salts,
• wherein the mixture comprises:
• 58% to 63% by volume of HEMA monomer,
• 5% to 10% by volume of methanol,
• 1% to 5% by volume of isopropanol,
• 15% to 25% by volume of water, and
• 10−1 to 10−5 percent by mass of silver salts;
• and
• (b) irradiating the mixture of step (a) with gamma radiation with a dose flow rate greater than or equal to 2 kGray/hour, that causes the simultaneous polymerization of the HEMA monomer and the formation of silver nanoparticles, thereby producing the composite material comprising a porous polymer matrix in which silver nanoparticles are dispersed.