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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Bioproducts Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298853
Title: Radical graft polymerization of an Allyl Monomer onto Hydrophilic Polymers and their antibacterial nanofibrous membranes

Author
item WANG, DONG - University Of California
item XU, WEILIN - Wuhan University
item SUN, GANG - University Of California
item Chiou, Bor-Sen

Submitted to: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2011
Publication Date: 7/12/2012
Citation: Wang, D., Xu, W., Sun, G., Chiou, B. 2012. Radical graft polymerization of an Allyl Monomer onto Hydrophilic Polymers and their antibacterial nanofibrous membranes. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 3(8):2838-2844.

Interpretive Summary: Nanofiber membranes with functional antimicrobial properties were produced for protective clothing and water filtration applications. These nanofibers were produced by using a novel reactive extrusion technique that can generate much more fibers than conventional electrospinning techniques. The nanofiber membranes were activated using chlorine and showed excellent effectiveness against E. coli.

Technical Abstract: Hydrophilic poly (vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE) copolymers with 27 mol %, 32 mol % and 44 mol % ethylene were functionalized by melt radical graft copolymerization with 2,4-diamino-6-diallylamino-1,3,5-triazine (NDAM) using reactive extrusion. This functionalization imparts antibacterial properties. The covalent attachments of the NDAMas side chains onto the PVA-co-PE polymer backbones were confirmed. The effects of initiator concentrations and ethylene contents in PVA-co-PE polymers on grafting of NDAM were studied. The chain scissions of PVA-co-PE polymers during reactive extrusion were investigated by monitoring changes in the melt torque and FTIR spectra. The NDAM grafted PVA-co-PE polymers were successfully fabricated into hydrophilic nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes with sufficient surface exposure of the grafted NDAM. The hydrophilicity of the PVA-co-PE polymers and the large specific surface area offered by the nanofiber membranes significantly facilitated the chlorine activation process, enhanced the active chlorine contents of the grafted PVA-co-PE nanofiber membranes, and therefore led to their superior antibacterial properties.