Polymerizable semi-fluorinated gemini surfactants designed for antimicrobial materials

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Developing permanent non-leaching biocide materials is crucial for preventing infections.
• Polymerizable monomers offer a promising route to incorporate biocidal functionalities into materials.
• Gemini surfactants, with their unique structure, are being explored for enhanced properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel polymerizable semi-fluorinated gemini surfactants.
• To evaluate the surface-active, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of these new compounds.
• To assess their potential for creating advanced, permanent biocide materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of semi-fluorinated gemini surfactants with quaternary ammonium groups and acrylic moieties.
• Evaluation of surface-active properties.
• Antimicrobial testing against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger.
• Determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal lethal concentration (MLC) values.

Main Results:

• The synthesized gemini surfactant monomers exhibited significant surface-active properties.
• Compounds with an acrylic moiety retained notable bacteriostatic and surfactant activities.
• Semi-fluorinated gemini surfactant monomers with an amide connector demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy against bacteria and fungi.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of a polymerizable moiety in gemini surfactants preserves their desirable properties.
• These novel surfactant monomers are suitable for developing advanced permanent biocide materials.
• Semi-fluorinated gemini surfactants with amide connectors show potential as broad-spectrum biocides for various applications.