Biying, A. O., Ong, M. J. H., Zhao, W., Li, N., Luo, H.-K., & Chan, J. M. W. (2024). Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Polymer-Coated Fabrics via Commodity Polystyrene Upcycling. ACS Applied Polymer Materials. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.4c01060
Abstract:
Polystyrene derived from styrofoam food containers was transformed into antimicrobial polymer coatings on cotton fabric via a facile chemical upcycling process. In a two-step sequence, commodity polystyrene was first subjected to initial halomethylation where the pendent phenyl rings of the polymer were functionalized quantitatively with CH2Cl moieties. Next, in our key fabrication step, in situ quaternization and cross-linking of the polymer with a rigid bifunctional tertiary amine were readily achieved under ambient conditions using a drop-and-dry approach on cotton to afford a polycation-coated fabric. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed cotton fibers that were coated with aggregated cationic polymer nanoparticles. The functionalized textile remained flexible and was found to exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against a panel of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as fungal pathogens including the recently emerged multidrug-resistant Candida auris. This facile synthesis of microbicidal coatings on cotton fabric holds the potential to sustainably create functional wearables for the healthcare industry from cheaply available postconsumer commodity polymers.
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Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - 2021 A*STAR Career Development Fund
Grant Reference no. : C210812024
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - 2022 SERC Central Research Fund UIBR
Grant Reference no. : NA
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - Singapore AME Young Individual Research Grant
Grant Reference no. : A2084c0174
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - 2022 SERC Central Research Fund ATR
Grant Reference no. : NA