One-Pot Synthesis of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Piperazine Cross-Linked Polymer for Antibacterial Applications

Abstract

The spread of microbes which cause infectious diseases are of great concern on human health. Therefore, a water-soluble cross-linked polymer based on polyvinyl alcohol was synthesized via an economical, facile, and aqueous-based approach. The resultant cross-linked polymer was characterized by different techniques such as FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, TGA, and DSC. The IR spectrum has been recorded in the range 400–4000 cm−1. From thermal studies, i.e. TGA, cross-linking polymer PVA-E-Pz showed two step degradation and from DSC, glass transition temperature (Tg) was exhibited at 86.05 °C. The antimicrobial properties of the cross-linked polymer were studied using the well-diffusion technique and optical density method against gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus. Polymer coated fabric was also evaluated for antimicrobial activity against both the bacteria, even after 25 wash cycles the coated fabric showed about 90% antibacterial activity. Samples showed good antimicrobial activity against both the micro-organisms, but more activity was exhibited against gram-negative bacteria. The coating durability and surface morphology of the coated fabric were also analyzed. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that PVA-E-Pz was non-toxic against human dermal fibroblast cell lines. This material might be a good fit for advanced wound dressing and textile applications. The proposed strategy provides a low-cost, environmentally friendly method for creating a new cross-linked polymer with antimicrobial activity. Graphical Abstract

Unveiling the effectiveness of antimicrobial BPJ polymer coatings in enhancing microbial resistance

“…The enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized polymer can be attributed to the presence of the piperazine moiety in its molecular structure, as well as the hydroxyl group of the bifunctional coupler, both of which contribute to its activity against pathogenic microbes, leading to cell lysis. 65…”

“…Overall, the compelling inhibitory effects against both S. aureus and E. coli indicate the potential of the BPJ polymer as a promising candidate for developing novel antibacterial agents. The comparative study 16,[65][66][67][68][69][70][71] was conducted from previously reported literature and the graph was plotted as shown in Fig. 8.…”

“…The enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized polymer can be attributed to the presence of the piperazine moiety in its molecular structure, as well as the hydroxyl group of the bifunctional coupler, both of which contribute to its activity against pathogenic microbes, leading to cell lysis. 65 The mechanism of action involves the interaction between the polymer and the bacterial cell membrane, where the hydroxyl group within the macromolecule targets the cell membrane, resulting in membrane damage and eventual cell lysis. This interaction is particularly effective against Gram-negative bacteria like E. coli due to their thinner cell wall, making them more vulnerable to the antimicrobial effects of the polymer compared to Gram-positive bacteria.…”

Effect of conductive layer on the performance of gel electrolyte‐based supercapacitors

“…The synthesis of PVA electrolytes was initiated by dissolving 1 g of PVA in 10 mL deionized water and stirring continuously at 60 C for 4 h. The obtained PVA solution was cross-linked by adding 250 μL of Glutaraldehyde, then stirred continuously at 30 C for 1 h. Then stirred again by using 250 μL of HCl as an initiator for a while. [36][37][38] After adding HCl, the pre-gel solution was divided into four different Petri dishes and waited for 2 days to obtain cross-linked PVA solutions. The electrolytes divided into four groups were waited in aqueous solutions of KOH at different concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 M) for 2 days to obtain saturated electrolytes.…”