Rechargeable Antibacterial Polysulfonamide-Based N-Halamine Nanofibrous Membranes for Bioprotective Applications

Bioprotective materials with bactericidal activity could largely protect healthcare workers from being infected by emerging infectious diseases; however, creating such materials has turned out to be extremely challenging. Here, we fabricate a novel polysulfonamide (PSA) N-halamine electrospun nanofibrous membrane with rechargeable and rapid bactericidal properties by a Lewis acid-assisted chlorination process. The hydrogen bonds between PSA molecular chains can be weakened through Lewis acid-base complexation during chlorination, enabling more available amide groups to be chlorinated into N-halamine biocidal groups. The resulting nanofibrous membranes render intriguing features such as rechargeable chlorination capability (>4500 ppm), rapid bactericidal activity (6 log reduction of bacteria in 1 min), high particle removal efficiency (>99.8%), long-term durability, and ease of scalable production, which can be perceived as a functional layer of protective equipment that is capable of not only intercepting but also inactivating the pathogens effectively. The successful synthesis of the PSA N-halamine antibacterial nanomaterials opens new ways toward the development of bioprotective materials in a multifunctional and rechargeable form.