Making thin polymeric materials, including fabrics, microbicidal and also water-repellent

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Non-functionalized polyolefin fabrics and films lack inherent antimicrobial properties.
• Developing effective antimicrobial treatments for textiles is crucial for hygiene and infection control.
• Hydrophobic coatings can impart water repellency but often lack antimicrobial activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile procedure for creating highly bactericidal and fungicidal polyolefin fabrics/films.
• To render cotton fabric both hydrophobic and bactericidal.
• To explore the synergistic effects of chemical modification and surface coating for enhanced material functionality.

Main Methods:

• Free-radical grafting of maleic anhydride onto polyolefin substrates.
• Attachment and N-alkylation of polyethylenimine (PEI) to grafted substrates.
• Hot-filament chemical vapor deposition of a hydrophobic polymer onto cotton fabric.
• Immobilization of N-alkyl-PEI onto cotton fabric prior to hydrophobic coating.

Main Results:

• The developed procedure successfully rendered polyolefin fabrics/films highly bactericidal and fungicidal.
• Cotton fabric treated with hydrophobic polymer coating became markedly hydrophobic.
• Cotton fabric pre-treated with N-alkyl-PEI and then coated became both water-repellent and bactericidal.
• The N-alkylation step of PEI was key for achieving dual functionality in cotton.

Conclusions:

• A robust method exists for imparting potent antimicrobial properties to polyolefins.
• Surface modification of cotton fabric with N-alkyl-PEI and hydrophobic coating offers a dual-functionality solution for textiles.
• These advancements hold potential for applications in medical textiles, protective clothing, and antimicrobial packaging.