Electrospun Mats of Fluorosiloxane Copolymers with Antifouling and Antibacterial Performances

The adsorption and accumulation of biomolecules and microorganisms on materials can significantly shorten the service life of materials. Fibrous materials featuring hydrophobic and anti-protein adsorption properties are urgently required for numerous applications, particularly in environments requiring liquid repellency and biofouling resistance.

In this work, electrospun fibers are fabricated via the electrospinning of fluorosiloxane copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA), isobornyl methacrylate (IBMA), and methacryloyl-terminated poly[methyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)siloxane] (PMTFPS-MA). Porous microstructures are achieved by adjusting the composition and concentration of the spinning solution.

The resultant electrospun fiber mats exhibite high hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties, owing to their multi-scale surface roughness resulting from porous microstructures. Moreover, the combined effects of the fouling release of PMTFPS and the surface stereochemistry of IBMA significantly endow the mats with superior protein-resistant and antibacterial properties.

These hydrophobic electrospun fiber mats are promising candidates for applications requiring hydrophobic fibrous materials.