Ultrasonic spraying quercetin chitosan nonwovens with antibacterial and deodorizing properties for sanitary napkin

With economic and social development, there is a growing focus on menstrual hygiene, and traditional sanitary napkins are no longer sufficient to meet women's needs. In this study, quercetin (QC) was efficiently and uniformly ultrasonic sprayed on thermally bonded chitosan nonwovens (CS) to prepare a multifunctional surface layer of sanitary napkins (QC_X@CS). CS sprayed with 3 layers of QC (QC₃@CS) exhibits excellent mechanical properties and high antibacterial rates against Escherichia coli (99.51 %) and Staphylococcus aureus (99.87 %), respectively. Besides, QC₃@CS demonstrates strong free radical scavenging abilities, which have great potential to reduce the effects of reactive oxygen species on immune and metabolic functions during menstruation. QC₃@CS demonstrates strong deodorizing abilities, with rates of 87.22 % for acetic acid and 90.88 % for ammonia, which could effectively eliminate the unpleasant odor associated with menstruation. Moreover, QC₃@CS ensures excellent water absorption, anti-return properties, and cytocompatibility. This study may provide valuable insights into developing functional sanitary napkin materials based on natural extracts.