Contact
    Start Publications Tailoring Macromolecular Structure of Cationic Polymers towards ...
    ←  Publication Finder
    Attension

    Tailoring Macromolecular Structure of Cationic Polymers towards Efficient Contact Active Antimicrobial Surfaces

    Year: 2018

    Journal: Polymers, Volume 10, MAR

    Authors: Tejero, Ruben; Gutierrez, Beatriz; Lopez, Daniel; Lopez-Fabal, Fatima; Gomez-Garces, Jose L.; Munoz-Bonilla, Alexandra; Fernandez-Garcia, Marta

    Organizations: MINECO [MAT2016-78437-R]; Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI, Spain); Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, EU)

    Keywords: cationic polymers; blends; surfaces; antimicrobial

    The aim of this work is the preparation of contact active antimicrobial films by blending copolymers with quaternary ammonium salts and polyacrylonitrile as matrix material. A series of copolymers based on acrylonitrile and methacrylic monomers with quaternizable groups were designed with the purpose of investigating the influence of their chemical and structural characteristics on the antimicrobial activity of these surfaces. The biocide activity of these systems was studied against different microorganisms, such as the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomona aeruginosa and the yeast Candida parapsilosis. The results confirmed that parameters such as flexibility and polarity of the antimicrobial polymers immobilized on the surfaces strongly affect the efficiency against microorganisms. In contrast to the behavior of copolymers in water solution, when they are tethered to the surface, the active cationic groups are less accessible and then, the mobility of the side chain is critical for a good contact with the microorganism. Blend films composed of copolymers with high positive charge density and chain mobility present up to a more than 99.999% killing efficiency against the studied microorganisms.
    View publication