Antibacterial Activity and Protection Efficiency of Polyvinyl Butyral Nanofibrous Membrane Containing Thymol Prepared through Vertical Electrospinning

Abstract

Human safety, health management, and disease transmission prevention have become crucial tasks in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation. Masks are widely available and create a safer and disease transmission–free environment. This study presents a facile method of fabricating masks through electrospinning nontoxic polyvinyl butyral (PVB) polymeric matrix with the antibacterial component Thymol, a natural phenol monoterpene. Based on the results of Japanese Industrial Standards and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists methods, the maximum antibacterial value of the mask against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was 5.6 and 6.4, respectively. Moreover, vertical electrospinning was performed to prepare Thymol/PVB nanofiber masks, and the effects of parameters on the submicron particulate filtration efficiency (PFE), differential pressure, and bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) were determined. Thorough optimization of the small-diameter nanofiber–based antibacterial mask led to denser accumulation and improved PFE and pressure difference; the mask was thus noted to meet the present pandemic requirements. The as-developed nanofibrous masks have the antibacterial activity suggested by the National Standard of the Republic of China (CNS 14774) for general medical masks. Their BFE reaches 99.4%, with a pressure difference of <5 mmH2O/cm2. The mask can safeguard human health and promote a healthy environment.

Antimicrobial Biomaterial on Sutures, Bandages and Face Masks with Potential for Infection Control

“…Health authorities enforced the use of face masks to mitigate viral transmission and droplet movement [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ]. However, the growing number of disposed masks presents a serious source of waste and pollution [ 72 , 73 ].…”

“…These compounds exert antiviral and even anti-corona-virus activities [ 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Such properties enable their use in wound treatment on sutures, bandages and wound dressing materials, as well as surgical face masks [ 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ]. Coating or incorporating phytochemicals into surgical face masks can reduce the demand during supply shortages.…”

“…Recycling mitigates the economic burden for the end user, as well as the production and waste disposal processes [ 73 ]. An increasing number of investigations on antimicrobial materials showcase different approaches for sustainable, re-usable or even biodegradable face masks [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 ]. Cinnamic acid and its derivatives are increasingly used to design novel antimicrobial biomaterials within polymeric matrices [ 80 , 81 , 82 ].…”

Recent Progress in Conducting Polymer Composite/Nanofiber-Based Strain and Pressure Sensors

“…Electrospinning polymer solution's viscosity, concentration, conductivity, molecular weight, dispersion, solubility, flow rate greatly influencing the formation of continuous fibers [29,206]. The obtained fibrous structure can be scalable and have a facile control with a wide range from the nanometer to micrometer scale [207,208].…”

Thermoplastic Starch with Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Blends Foamed by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

“…Furthermore, their collection and storage for recycling is an undesirable and time-consuming process [ 10 ]. A viable strategy is to develop bio-based polymer materials as alternatives to these materials to minimize the use of non-biodegradable polymers [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Considering these, the key to biodegradable polymer-based foams can be used in a wide range of applications, owing to their biocompatibility [ 16 , 17 ], biodegradability, and renewability process [ 18 ].…”