Research On Polymeric Materials With Antifouling And Antibacterial Properties

Currently, with the general improvement of people’s health awareness, extensive efforts have been conducted toward finding antibacterial materials to solve the problem of bacterial infection. The first approach to combat such threats was using antifouling coatings, but the antifouling materials can not absolutely inhibit bacteria adhesion on surface. To overcome such disadvantages, antibacterial agents were ofen incorporated to actively kill the bacteria. In this paper, the hydrogels with dual antibacterial action were prepared via radical polymerization. The PE film with dual antibacterial action was prepared by UV-induced photo-grafting polymerization.A novel zwitterionic monomer and a quaternary ammonium salt monomer were synthesized. The materials consist of the carboxyl betaine zwitterionic monomer can release salicylic acid (SA) by the hydrolysis of ester bond in the side chain to achieve antibacterial action, moreover, the materials can maintain their zwitterionic state and antifouling property both before "and after the SA release, keeping dual antibacterial action. The materials prepared by quaternary ammonium salt monomer and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) can also achieve dual antibacterial action.The homopolymer and copolymer hydrogels with dual antibacterial action were prepared via radical polymerization. The zwitterionic homopolymer hydrogel was characterized by FT-IR and UV, the copolymer hydrogel was characterized by FT-IR and SEM. The hydrolysis curve of the zwitterionic hydrogel was also investigated, we can see from the curve that SA was released entirely after 34 h. E.coli which contained the green fluorescent protein was applied to evaluate the antifouling efficacy of the hydrogels. The antibacterial activity of the hydrogels was investigated against both E.coli and S.aureus. Results showed that both hydrogels exhibited antifouling property, as well as antibacterial action.The zwitterionic hydrogel killed 99.8% E. coli and 99.4% S. aureus after contact 1 h and the copolymer hydrogel killed 92.8% E. coli and 95.7% S. aureus after contact 24 h.The zwitterionic monomer was also introduced onto the surfaces of PE films under irradiation of UV light.The photo-grafted layer was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and UV. The hydrolysis curve of the grafted PE film was also investigated, we can see from the curve that SA was released entirely after 33 h. E.coli which contained the green fluorescent protein was applied to evaluate the antifouling efficacy of the grafted PE film. The antibacterial activity of the grafted PE film was investigated against both E.coli and S.aureus. Results showed that the grafted PE film not only prevented bacteria surface adhesion but exhibited great antibacterial action.The grafted PE film killed 98.2% E. coli and 97.5% S. aureus after contact 4 h.