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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Surface Functionalization of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Improved Moisture Resistance
Published on: September 5, 2018
Coupling Cu-MOF and Flexible Wood as Active Antimicrobial Membrane
Manish Neupane1, Zhenyu Shen2, Xiahua Zhong1
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri, 416 S. Sixth St., Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States.
Abstract:
Airborne microbes such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi are a major cause of respiratory ailments, including allergies and pathogenic infections. Despite advances in modern healthcare and public health measures, preventing the transmission of airborne microbes is still very challenging. The microbes may stay alive for a while after landing on a face mask, giving them the chance to infect another individual. In face masks, the laminated materials are primarily made of nonrenewable polystyrene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, or polyester fibers and are even coated with polytetrafluoroethylene for high-efficiency ones. A holistic approach is to disinfect the microbes on face mask before inhaling into the upper respiratory tract with functionalized green materials. In this work, fast-growing balsa wood (BW) sheets were first converted into flexible membrane, followed by in situ growth of Cu-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF) into pores. The membrane maintains great flexibility, as demonstrated through mechanical folding and twisting. The agar diffusion test was used to qualitatively assess the efficacy of a flexible membrane coupled with MOF particles in antimicrobial application against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria causing respiratory illness. The inhibition zones with a radius of ∼2 mm were observed against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while a larger inhibition zone with a radius of ∼4 mm was recorded against Staphylococcus aureus, indicating great potential in inhibiting the production of all strains of microbes. Such green functional materials would find a broad bio application to benefit human health.
Insights
This study developed a flexible, green membrane from balsa wood and copper-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOF) to disinfect airborne microbes on face masks, effectively inhibiting bacteria causing respiratory illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Airborne microbes like bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause respiratory illnesses, and face masks can harbor live microbes, facilitating transmission.
- Current face mask materials, often non-renewable synthetics, are not inherently antimicrobial.
- Disinfecting microbes on masks using functionalized green materials offers a holistic approach to prevent respiratory infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a flexible, antimicrobial membrane from sustainable balsa wood and copper-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOF).
- To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the functionalized membrane against common respiratory pathogens.
- To explore the potential of green functional materials for bio-applications benefiting human health.
Main Methods:
- Balsa wood sheets were converted into flexible membranes.
- Copper-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOF) were grown in situ into the membrane's pores.
- Agar diffusion tests were performed to assess antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Main Results:
- The resulting membrane exhibited excellent flexibility, enduring mechanical folding and twisting.
- The Cu-MOF functionalized membrane showed significant antimicrobial activity.
- Inhibition zones of approximately 2 mm against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 4 mm against Staphylococcus aureus were observed.
Conclusions:
- The flexible, green membrane functionalized with Cu-MOF demonstrates potent antimicrobial properties against respiratory bacteria.
- This sustainable material shows great potential for inhibiting microbial growth on face masks and other bio-applications.
- The development offers a promising eco-friendly solution to combat the transmission of airborne pathogens.
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