Nonfouling textiles with tunable antimicrobial activity based on a zwitterionic polyamine finish

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Traditional antimicrobial textiles often rely on biocides, raising environmental concerns.
• Developing environmentally friendly alternatives with contact-free antimicrobial action is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel antimicrobial textile finishes using functionalized polyvinylamine polymers.
• To investigate the antiadhesive and antibacterial properties of these finishes on polyester and cotton fabrics.

Main Methods:

• Polyvinylamine polymers functionalized with sulfobetaine side chains at varying degrees of substitution (DS) were synthesized.
• Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and cotton fabrics were finished using a water-based pad-dry-cure process.
• The stability of the finish was assessed after washing with surfactants, and polymer add-ons were quantified.

Main Results:

• Stable finishes with low polymer add-ons (0.2-0.5 wt%) were achieved on textiles.
• Finished textiles demonstrated efficient inhibition of protein and bacterial adhesion, even at a low DS of 20%.
• Textiles showed significant antibacterial activity, particularly against *Staphylococcus aureus*, with increasing efficacy at lower DS (20-50%).

Conclusions:

• Zwitterionic sulfobetaine-functionalized polyvinylamine polymers offer a promising route to environmentally friendly antimicrobial textile finishes.
• Tunable degrees of substitution allow for the creation of finishes with pure antiadhesive properties (DS > 50%) or combined antiadhesive and antibacterial effects (DS = 20-50%).
• This approach provides versatile, biocide-free antimicrobial solutions for textiles and other surfaces.