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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 28, 2015
Novel multifunctional nanofibers based on thermoplastic polyurethane and ionic liquid: towards antibacterial,
Chenyang Xing1, Jipeng Guan, Zhouli Chen
1College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, No. 16 Xuelin Rd., Hangzhou, 310036, People's Republic of China. TMSR Research Center and CAS Key Lab of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, People's Republic of China. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Novel antibacterial, anti-electrostatic, and hydrophilic nanofibers based on a blend containing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and a room-temperature ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM][PF6], were fabricated by electrospinning. We investigated the effect of the IL on the morphology and the physical properties of the TPU nanofibers. Nanofibers with a 'bead-on-string' morphology were obtained by electrospinning from a neat TPU solution. The incorporation of the IL, at levels as low as 1 wt%, largely suppressed the formation of beads during electrospinning, and homogeneous nanofibers were obtained. The as-spun TPU/IL composite nanofibers showed significant activity against both Escherichia coli (E coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), with antibacterial activities of more than four and three, respectively. This means that the antibacterial efficiencies of TPU/IL composite nanofibers toward E coli and S. aureus are 99.99% and 99.9%, respectively. Moreover, nonwoven fabrics derived from the electrospun TPU/IL composite nanofibers exhibit better stretchability, elasticity, and higher electrical conductivity compared to those made using neat TPU without an IL. Additionally, the incorporation of the IL leads to a hydrophilic surface for the TPU/IL composite nanofibers compared to hydrophobic neat TPU nanofibers. These multifunctional nanofibers with excellent antibacterial, anti-electrostatic, and mechanical properties and improved hydrophilicity are promising candidates for biomedical and wastewater treatment applications.
