Mechanically Robust and Transparent N-Halamine Grafted PVA-co-PE Films with Renewable Antimicrobial Activity.
Antimicrobial polymeric films that are both mechanically robust and function renewable would have broad technological implications for areas ranging from medical safety and bioengineering to foods industry; however, creating such materials has proven extremely challenging. Here, a novel strategy is reported to create high-strength N-halamine incorporated poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) films (HAF films) with renewable antimicrobial activity by combining melt radical graft polymerization and reactive extrusion technique. The approach allows here the intrinsically rechargeable N-halamine moieties to be covalently incorporated into polymeric films with high biocidal activity and durability. The resulting HAF films exhibit integrated properties of robust mechanical strength, high transparency, rechargeable chlorination capability (>300 ppm), and long-term durability, which can effectively offer 3-5 logs CFU reduction against typical pathogenic bacterium Escherichia coli within a short contact time of 1 h, even at high organism conditions. The successful synthesis of HAF films also provides a versatile platform for exploring the applications of antimicrobial N-halamine moieties in a self-supporting, structurally adaptive, and function renewable form.
Fiber and Polymer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Yang
Y
Si
Food Science and Technology & Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Andrea
A
Cossu
Food Science and Technology & Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Nitin
N
Nitin
Fiber and Polymer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Yue
Y
Ma
Fiber and Polymer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Cunyi
C
Zhao
Bioproduct Chemistry and Engineering, USDA/WRRC/ARS, Albany, CA, 94710, USA.
Bor-Sen
BS
Chiou
Bioproduct Chemistry and Engineering, USDA/WRRC/ARS, Albany, CA, 94710, USA.
Trung
T
Cao
Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430073, China.
Dong
D
Wang
Fiber and Polymer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Gang
G
Sun
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001704:Biopolymers; D005030:Ethylenes; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; C036216:ethylene
N-halamine; antimicrobial; medical safety; polymeric films; renewable